Get These Practical Jobs Sorted Before Christmas

by Amy · Published November 3, 2016 · Updated November 3, 2016

There’s so much to think about when it comes to Christmas. As well as buying and wrapping gifts, baking, decorating, writing cards and shopping there are some practical issues to consider in the home too. Christmas is about more than just the one special day, but the whole of December. So to make it as magical as possible while ensuring that everything runs smoothly, here are a few things to consider.

Clean and Declutter

Christmas means lots of new things coming into the home. So get rid of the old to make way for the new. You could clear out your children’s toys, donating any they no longer use to a good charitable cause. Throw away any old clothes, and generally get the house spick and span ready for the festive season ahead. You could go through your kitchen and pantry and clear away everything that’s no good in preparation for the big Christmas shop. You could tackle all of the major jobs in the home such as washing curtains and windows, cleaning carpets and going through all cupboards and drawers so you’re fully prepared for December 1st. That Christmas tree has to fit somewhere!

Think About Home Security

It’s no secret that burglaries increase over the festive period. As families go out to enjoy the celebrations and visit friends and relatives, thieves make their move. Couple this with the fact that many of us have hundreds or thousands worth of brand new gifts and technology in the house ready to give out at Christmas, and it creates the perfect scenario for a burglar. One job to get tackled before the festive season is your home security. If you don’t have a burglar alarm, consider having one installed. You could look at a site like alarm-reviews home alarm systems to decide which is best for you. If you already have an alarm, consider having it serviced and do some checks to make sure everything is working. Walk around your home and assess potential weak areas, look from a burglar’s point of view. Clear away any ladders or tools from the garden to stop them having an easy time getting in. Have any dodgy windows replaced, and have proper locks fitted to your front door.

Work Out Your Finances

If you’ve not already started budgeting for Christmas, now could be a good time to start! There’s only a limited amount of paydays left now, and if you want to do your shopping during early December, you have even less time. Set a budget for everyone you’re buying for, so you know exactly what you’re working too. Write a list for your food shopping, so you can work out the cost. And don’t forget all of the extra things like cards, gift wrap, extra decorations, scented candles or anything else you like to buy to make Christmas special. On top of that, you have your regular monthly household bills to cover in December so make sure you keep enough to get all of those paid too. The earlier you start, the more you can spread the cost to it doesn’t feel like so much of a big hit to the wallet in December. For example, you can start picking up bits which have a long shelf life from your food shopping list each week or buy stocking fillers here and there. Then by the time you come to go shopping properly, you’ll already have a lot of it covered. If you’re going to be ordering anything from eBay, get that done as early as possible since shipping can take four weeks from many sellers.

Redecorate The Guest Room

If you are having friends and family to stay over the festive season, you’ll need to make sure they have somewhere suitable to stay. If your guest room turns into a cluttered storage area throughout the year, it’s time to have a sort through. Move anything you don’t need into the garage or attic, and get the room spick and span. You could give it a fresh coat of paint if it needs it, and invest in some cozy new bedding.

Finish Up Any Home Repairs

The last thing you’re going to want to do over December is fiddle around with tools, filling cracks or general DIYing. November is a good month for getting all of this finished, so either get started on it yourself or call in a repairman. Certain services such as boiler and heating repair can get booked up quick close to Christmas, so it’s worth getting it out of the way as soon as possible. Finish up any jobs, inside and out so you’re free to put it out of your mind and get on with other things.

Get Ahead With Your Christmas Baking and Cooking

Homemade holiday baking is a fantastic way to treat family and friends over Christmas. It’s perfect to share with guests when they come round, and also makes a great gift idea too if you’re looking to do something personal or keep costs down. But if you spend a large part of December slaving over a hot stove, make a start early on. Things like cookies and certain desserts can be frozen so when you need them just bring them out of the freezer to thaw. Even elements of your Christmas dinner can be cooked ahead of time and then frozen, ready to bring out before the big day. Getting organized and doing what you can gives you time to relax and enjoy yourself instead of being bogged down with a million tasks. If you have space in a cupboard or garage, it could be worth investing in an extra freezer to keep everything. You can buy second-hand ones cheaply online on places like Craigslist. Make sure you label each item including the date you made it.