Stay ahead of the holiday rush by clearing your home of hazards and stress before the holiday season officially begins. Here’s how homeowners can prepare for the holiday season:
- Prep Holiday Cooking and Baking Ahead of Time. Gather everything you will need in advance. Additionally, pre-measure and label dry ingredients for baking and cooking then set them aside. Pre-measuring and pre-planning help to avoid spills, burns, injuries, ruined food, stress, and of course, last-minute runs to the store.
- Review Your Community’s Policies on Exterior Decorations. Before decorating the exterior of your unit or home, check to see what is permitted in your co-op, condo, or HOA. For example, some communities do not permit wreaths on front doors or in common areas. If this is the case, decorate the interior of your home instead, if desired.
- Discard Expired Pantry Items. Make room for holiday treats and ingredients by tossing out all perished food items. During this process, gather and make a list of what’s needed from the grocery store.
- Reserve Guest Rooms in Advance (If Applicable). If you plan to host your holidays in a common area like your HOA clubhouse or activity room, you may need to reserve it ahead of time.
- Check the Halls. Before the holidays, notify management of any repairs. Although management is on call 24-7, please note that repairs may be difficult to complete during the holidays, especially if they are not emergencies. This can be attributed to scheduling issues caused by vendor unavailability or shipping delays (for necessary parts) over the holidays.
- Be Courteous to Neighbors. Everyone should be thoughtful when it comes to noise, holidays, and beyond. Invite your neighbors to festivities or at least give them a heads up about gatherings ahead of time.
- Participate in Community Events. If neighbors in your community organize events, check your community calendars, bulletin boards, emails, website, etc. for upcoming gatherings. If not, check for local seasonal activities at the library, restaurants, attractions, etc…
- Add Visitors to the Guest List (If Applicable). Adding visitors to your community guest list if you have a security booth or lobby attendant makes it easier for friends and family to visit. Additionally, it helps to secure your community over the holiday season because it gives security staff and management information on who enters and exits your community or building.
- Deep Clean Your Kitchen. Expecting guests, or preparing a big meal? Start fresh with a clean and organized kitchen. Removing crumbs and residue from areas like the toaster, oven, microwave, etc. reduces fire hazards, and helps you take charge of the holiday rush when it comes to baking and cooking.
- Donate or Discard Unwanted Holiday Décor. Sometimes having fewer holiday bins to dig through makes the decoration process more enjoyable. Additionally, if you are planning to downsize or move in the near future, it’s one way to get a head start. Gather unwanted decorations for donation or discard broken holiday lighting and damaged décor.
- Check and Replace Expired Fire Extinguishers in Your Home. Make sure that your kitchen and home are equipped in case of a fire-related emergency.
- Keep the Chilly Weather Out. Optimize your home for Winter by insulating your home from drafts and cool weather.
- Follow Trash Policies. With the holiday influx of waste and cardboard, trash rooms can start to get unruly. Break down all cardboard boxes and follow trash policies and procedures in your community. One way to reduce trash is to reuse gift wraps and gift bags when possible.
- Avoid Frozen Pipes. Do not let cold weather freeze your plumbing. Take proper precautions to avoid frozen pipes in your home and community.
- Stop or Forward Mail If You Will Not Be Home for The Holidays. Have your mail and packages paused or forwarded if you will not be home over the holidays. Additionally, prevent mail and package accumulation in front of your home or in your mailbox, which can possibly attract theft, especially around the holiday season.
- Help to Boost Security in Your Home and Community. Remember to reduce opportunities for theft during the holidays. Keep packages and gifts out of sight from public view (i.e. windows), lock all doors (including car doors), and bring in packages as soon as they arrive.
- Choose LED Lighting and Decorations. This small change is an easy way to reduce fire hazards without ruining the holiday glow.
- Replace Frayed or Broken Holiday Lighting. Test all lighting and strands in an outlet before hanging or installing them.
- Have a Christmas Tree Disposal Plan. Before January 1st, find out how your town’s waste management department and community handles tree removal. Every community will vary. For example, some communities may have a designated day or area to get rid of them, while others may just allow collection with your regular trash day. There are also Christmas tree recycling options through local farms (Long Island) and through tree recycling initiatives in New York City (All 5 Boroughs).
- Restock Stationery and Gift Wrap. Be ready for gift exchanges by taking an early inventory of wrapping paper, cards, etc.
Happy Holidays!
Have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. By planning ahead, homeowners can reduce stress and hazards, while maximizing fun.
