Preparing your home for the upcoming holiday season is much more than putting up your tree or menorah. There are many other things that you are going to need to do to make sure that you can entertain and pull off a fabulous season without a lot of stress during those few days. We recommend that you start early, so you can enjoy your time with family and friends.

Here are 6 things that you can do to get into the holiday spirit and prep your home now:

Clear Out Your Kitchen

Yes, the kitchen is the heart of your home, and it is quite evident by all the items that are in there, even though they shouldn’t be. This is the time to pull out all those piles of papers, throw out broken or unused items, and toss all of those expired items. You might be surprised at how much more space you have when you are finished with this one small task!

Check to Make Sure Everything Works Properly

You are not going to want to start baking all your holiday goodies to only find out that your oven is not up to the job, which is why we urge you to make sure that everything you will need this holiday season is in working order. In addition to checking your stove and oven, you might want to check the temperature in your refrigerator and freezer. Other items that you might want to give a once over, or quick cleaning, include your dishwasher, coffee maker, and vacuum cleaner.

Check the Heat

You may be used to the small amounts of heat that your furnace and vents emit in your home, but that doesn’t mean that your guests will be walking around comfortable. We encourage you to have your furnace inspected and cleaned, to ensure that it is up to the job of keeping everyone warm this holiday season.

Replace that Running Toilet or Leaking Faucet in Your Guest Bathroom

You may have forgotten that the toilet in your guest bathroom doesn’t work right or that the faucet leaks, especially if you do not use this space too often. However, this room will have a lot of use during the holidays and you are not going to want to deal with these issues when you have a houseful of guests. Therefore, go purchase a new toilet and have that leaky faucet fixed. You’ll thank yourself later!

Check for Safety Issues

Everyone has a few safety concerns in their home, so do not think that you are being neglectful by ignoring them. You are simply busy, and those things get pushed further down your list. We recommend going from room to room in your home, as you replace burnt out bulbs, tighten loose handrails, secure rugs, and move candles out of the reach of little hands. You should also have a fire extinguisher ready in the kitchen and working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, just in case a fire starts or there is a gas leak.

Prepare Special Treats for Your Guests

We are sure that you know exactly what special treats all your guests enjoy, so we encourage you to make those as a little surprise. You can fill a table with them and have each one labeled with the guest’s name so that they can take it home with them.

Doing some of these things will make your holiday season even better because you will be prepared and have everything in working order. Plus, you will have little surprises for all your guests, which they will love!