When it comes to getting ready for the holidays, many people take a page out of Santa’s book: Make a list, then check it twice. It’s a strategy for success, according to entertaining and home-keeping experts. We want the holiday season to be filled with joy, but it also comes with a heavy dose of shopping, cooking, wrapping, hosting and no small amount of cleaning. All those things require planning and coordination.
"The easiest way to start is to think about what type of experience you would hope for if you were a guest," saidLori Greeley, the CEO of Serena & Lily. We asked Greeley and other experts to share their best tips for getting ready for the most wonderful (or most stressful, depending who you ask) time of the year.
Start here, says home lifestyle expert Julian Thomas, to make a good first impression. Clear away clutter, add a mat for wet shoes and address any unpleasant odors. "The first thing people notice when they enter your home is how it smells," Thomas said.
Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.