Your Holiday Home Checklist

It’s time to dust off the boxes and start decorating for the holidays!

This is the perfect time to sort and purge holiday decor for future use. Did you recently get a pet or have a baby? Maybe you don’t want to bring out the special (ie: breakable) ornaments this year! If you find that you have not put up some decorations in a few years, consider passing them onto family members or donating to charity, so that others can start their own traditions.

Get Your Home Security in Place

The classic holiday movie Home Alone is an annual reminder to many of us that our property is often a prime target for thieves during the holiday season, when many families are traveling for days or weeks at a time. If you’re traveling this winter, be sure to ask a friend or neighbor to take in your mail and pull your trash cans in. If it could snow while you are away, have you hired a service to plow or shovel your walkways? Could you ask a neighbor to pick up packages that may be delivered to your front entrance?

These are important factors that will help your house appear lived-in during times that you are away. Even if you are staying home for the holidays, consider adding motion-sensor exterior lights or a security system this season to make it less inviting to potential burglars. Also, be sure you have a plan if the power goes out – no one wants to come home to a major power outage or frozen pipes!

Keep The Drafts Out!

Taking care of gaps that let in cold air will make a big difference on your heating bill. Consider an energy audit or use weather stripping to patch up specific trouble areas.

Clean the Kitchen Cabinets and Pantry! 

Cleaning everything thoroughly will give you a chance to take stock of what’s in your cupboards and pantry before any major holiday cooking happens. Remove expired food and clean your appliances, light fixtures, and range hood from dust and grime.

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