Prepping Your Home for Holiday Guests

If you’re hosting a Live, Work, Play holiday this year, there are so many things you can do to save yourself time, money, and energy. Prepping your home for holiday guests doesn’t have to mean stifling your own holiday cheer. If you follow the tips below, the process is guaranteed to be easy, convenient and (dare we say it) fun!

 

Image: Flickr

 

Tip One: Stock Up in One Place

 

The Live, Work, Play community was built in a strategic locale so your life could be a bit less hectic. If you’re stocking up on holiday goods, you won’t have to travel the globe to find them. In fact, you can do most of your stocking in one place, cutting out travel time and wait time.

 

Target in the Brandywine Towne Center is a great destination for tax-free shopping on a budget. Should you feel the need to shop around for the perfect store, the Brandywine Towne Center features oodles of alternative compartment and convenience stores all within footsteps of each other. After you’ve loaded up on treats for your guests, you can treat yourself to a movie at the Brandywine Towne Center’s very own Regal Theatre without even leaving the parking lot. This one simple trip is your budget friendly ticket to tax free retail and much needed entertainment.

 

Tip Two: Create Custom Welcome Baskets

 

Finding all of your seasonal goods in one place is a great way to cut down on prep time and shopping in Delaware is a great way to save on sales tax – but don’t forget to have a bit of fun. Welcome baskets are an excellent way to say hello to your loved ones who might be staying the night/weekend/week/month and they’re super fun to create.

 

You can customize these baskets in a way that truly showcases your creativity or simply steal some pinterested ideas from fellow holiday hosts. Be sure to stock your baskets with the essential – slippers, toiletries, holiday wine, candy, etc. and then add a special touch that shows off your artistic side. Some unique basket ideas include:

 

• Baskets adorned with “Welcome to Wilmington” paraphernalia
• Baskets wrapped in seasonal wrapping paper or decorated in flowers
• Cleverly written prose tucked inside each basket
• Baskets that serve a dual purpose (for example, a welcome basket that is also a lunch pail)

Tip Three: Decorate the Atmosphere while Cleaning at the Same Time

 

Cleaning is a chore mainly because it’s so repetitive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Try cleaning your home in segments and sprucing each space as you go. For example, you could begin at the entryway, imagining what you’d like your guests to see, hear and smell upon arrival, then implementing that experience. Ambient lighting, holiday potpourri and decorative elements will really truly enhance your surroundings. Once your dwelling space begins to mimic your vision of holiday joy, cleaning this space will feel rewarding rather than repetitive.

 

Pro Tip

 

The biggest corner you can cut when planning your holiday out is mealtime. If you’re having out of town guests for an extended stay, feeding them can quickly become a burden. Fortunately, waterfront dining is always an option and five star eateries dressed in holiday lights are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on your overnight guests.

 

Whatever your plans as a holiday host, the necessary tools are on hand in your home at The Residences. Resident packages are always available in case you find yourself in a pinch. Some of these convenient features include:

 

• Onsite dry cleaning services
• Onsite guest suites through LuxiaSuites
• Emergency maintenance
• Car detailing at select properties

Learn more about celebrating each season on the shimmering Wilmington waterfront by contacting a Live, Work, Play representative today.