It may still be plenty hot in Texas, but make no mistake about it… fall is on the way! From Halloween all the way up through the Christmas season, here are a few pointers to help you get a head start on the holidays.
Get Your Home Prepped Inside and Out
From Halloween parties to Thanksgiving meals and New Year’s soirees, a home can see a lot of foot traffic during the holiday season. In order you save yourself some time (and stress), a little bit of prep work in advance can go a long way.
- Prep your lawn with the final fertilization of the season and give it a one-last mow once you’ve raked and bagged the last of the leaves.
- Seal up any air leaks around draft doors or windows.
- Repair any damaged walkways and add adequate lighting since the days will be getting shorter.
- Add some curb appeal to your front door with a festive wreath.
- Give your carpets and drapes a thorough cleaning.
- Take some time to dust the interior light fixtures in your home, as well as ceiling fans.
- Clean your baseboards and touch up any interior/exterior paint blemishes.
Holiday Budgeting
The holiday season is a lot of fun, but all of that fun can also take a heavy toll on your bank account. There’s still plenty of time, however, to work out a game plan for your holiday budget so you’re not looking at a stack of unpaid bills come January.
- List out your holiday expenses. Write out a detailed list of what you can afford to spend for holiday travel, decorations, food, gifts, etc. It’s best to break this up per holiday and give yourself some flex room.
- Resist using credit cards as much as possible. Yes, they’re convenient, but making gifts or any sort of frivolous purchase will only leave you with a bigger bill to pay once the holiday season has passed. Unless you’re disciplined to pay your credit card down in full at the end of each month, opt for cash as much as possible.
- Don’t be afraid to set financial boundaries. If you have more expenses this year than the previous, then be upfront with your family that you’re working with a tighter budget and may have to cut back on travel or gift spending.
Recruit Some Help
Setting up a killer haunted house for the neighborhood kids or hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for 15 people is a lot of work – so don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you have a friend or family member who is especially good at decorating, then ask if they’d be willing to help out for an afternoon. Are your pie-making skills lacking but your aunt is a baking champion? Then, be sure to tell her how much you admire her pies and ask if she’d be willing to handle dessert duty at Christmas dinner.
Nearly everyone is busy during the holidays, but people also tend to be especially open to helping out and spreading a little holiday cheer, so reach out and ask for a helping hand.
Looking for the perfect home to settle into this fall? Go ahead and contact the Crosswinds team to learn more about this master-planned community.