Simple Solutions to Christmas Stressors - A Guest Post

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.

Via Clean and Sentisible

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.