Now that we’re officially into December, most people will
agree that the holiday season has officially begun. The stores are busy, radios
joyful and soon Santa will be gracing the floors of local malls. While this season
is famous for the parties, food and décor, it’s also well known as one of the
most stressful times of the year. Expectations and emotions can run on high and
the pressure to have everything just right can be seriously overwhelming. It’s
true, lots of things can go wrong at Christmas, but this year you’re going to
be one step ahead. These simple solutions to common holiday problems will have
you laughing the face of stress so that you can sit back and enjoy copious
amounts of homemade eggnog.
Your beige couch
looks a strange shade of brown: It’s almost inevitable that at some point
over the holiday’s you’re going to have visitors and, whether you like it or
not, your furniture is often the focal point of a room. Children, pets and
general wear and tear can have a huge impact on the appearance of your
furniture. Luckily, cleaning them is a breeze with a few key supplies – with
some rubbing alcohol, a scrubbing sponge and a soft brush and you’ll have
things looking like new in now time. Check out these
great
directions from Robin over at Chris and Robin’s Nest for step-by-step
tutorial.
Not one more thing can fit in your
fridge: It’s crazy how full a fridge can get this time of year. Your goal
in the days leading up to a big meal should be to have one full shelf that you
can designate to holiday food items. Take an inventory of what you currently
have and make a decision about what is absolutely necessary. Combine anything
you have double of and remove things that don’t absolutely need to be in the
fridge, like bread and some condiments. The key to making extra room in the
fridge is to organize like things together. If you have a few extra plastic
bins around the house, these are great for adding space – having small stuff in
a bin will take up less surface area than if it was sitting there alone. Doing
this also helps you to see what you have and what you might need. Jenn at
Clean
and Sentisible has even more great tips, as well as a picture of what a
real, organized fridge actually looks like.
Thanksgiving dinner
left your oven a black, charred mess: Stoves and ovens get a lot of use
during Christmas season, so keeping them in fine form is very important. While they
work really well, store bought oven cleaners smell absolutely horrible and are
even worse for the environment. Instead, combine natural ingredients like
baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar to create a paste that’s just as
effective. Apply the paste to the areas of your oven with caked on debris, let
it sit for 4-5 hours and then scrub off. To get rid of funky smells, place a
sliced up lemon in a casserole dish with a bit of water and bake for 20 – 30
minutes.
Your Christmas tree keeps falling over:
You’ve bought the best stand, the sturdiest tree and still come home to smashed
ornaments and broken trees. A great trick to keep Christmas trees in the
upright position is to secure them by tying the trunk to a nail in the wall.
While this isn’t always the best option for those who are renters, if you’re a
home owner you’ll want to decide which is more inconvenient – filling a hole or
cleaning up broken glass. If you position your tree in the same place each
winter, you can camouflage the nail by painting it the same color as your
walls.
You forgot to turn on the turkey: First
of all, take a deep breath and relax – you’re not the first person this has
happened to and you certainly won’t be the last. The solution to your problems
lies in pieces, literally. Take your turkey out and start cutting it up into chunks
the same way you would a chicken. If you haven’t already, cover your turkey in
spices and oils to keep the moisture in. Next, place each piece in a frying
pan, searing each side for a couple of minutes. Place your turkey pieces into a
casserole dish and straight into the oven at 350 degrees for roughly an hour -
when it reaches 170 degrees internally, you’re all done!
You have the time -
plan ahead: If you do one thing this holiday season, planning ahead should
be it. While there isn’t always time to head out and shop early, or pick up the
things needed for the big dinner, make an effort to squeeze in a few extra
minutes for list making. Write things down, like who you need gifts for, what
you need to buy, ingredients for your pie, rum for that eggnog and where you
have to go to find everything. Having this information sorted ahead of time can
mean the difference between a 30 minute shopping trip and a 2 hour one. If you
do have some spare time in your day, it’s also a good idea to try out a recipe
well in advance of when you’re going to need it. Knowing for sure that a meal
is going to go off without a hitch will take a big load off your shoulders.
You can almost guarantee that something will pop up this
holiday season, but keeping these quick fixes in mind should help put out a few
potential fires. Regardless of what happens, remember that the season is meant
for friends, family and fun … so relax and enjoy it!
Jessi is a guest blogger who is interested in all thing DIY and has a passion for the holidays! She comes to us from PartSelect.com, online resource dedicated to helping home owners with every step of a repair and retailer of major appliance parts including Whirlpool parts.