Getting your home holiday-ready

The festive season is here. To get the most out of the year-end break, homeowners who are taking a few days leave over the holiday period could take some time now to do a few things to get their homes ready for the holidays.

According to Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, hosting guests over the holiday season often provides the motivation one needs to get around to any household maintenance that was put off owing to other demands on one’s time.

“Those hosting guests over the coming holiday season will most likely want to make sure everything is tidy and in working order long before their guests arrive. As a bonus, this can act as a means of safeguarding one’s investment by addressing any issues before they turn into costly repairs,” Goslett noted.

In the build-up to the year-end break, Goslett also recommends taking the opportunity to touch up any cracks or paint-chipped corners, and any other small issues homeowners have been meaning to get around to all year, like the squeaky cupboard door and the crack in the bedroom ceiling. This way, homeowners can sit back and relax in their homes by the time guests arrive to enjoy the well-deserved break.

It is also that time of year when the Christmas decorations need to be set up, which could present an opportunity to create some new memories in a new home.

“The housing market has been incredibly active over the last 18 months or so. This means that there is likely to be many homeowners celebrating Christmas for the first time in a new home this year,” Goslett remarked.

To create new, long-lasting memories in a new home, homeowners could start new traditions like posing for a family Christmas photo somewhere in the home or drinking hot chocolate on the patio on Christmas Eve. Another idea is to purchase a pine tree for decoration that could later be planted in the backyard as a lasting reminder of the first Christmas in the new home.

To lower the risks of your home being the target of household robbery, those planning on being away for a few days or weeks over this period will also need to take care of a few things before they leave.

“Install timers on the light fixtures in the front-facing rooms in the property so that it appears as though somebody is home. Arrange for somebody to collect any mail so that it doesn’t build up in the mailbox while you are away. Getting garden services to trim the front lawn is another way to make it less obvious that nobody is home,” explained Goslett.

Whether you are able to take a few days off or not, Goslett wished all South Africans a happy and safe festive season ahead.

“This year has been a challenging one for most South Africans and the future still seems very uncertain with ongoing concerns around the pandemic. My hope is that we all celebrate the festive season responsibly and come back ready to tackle a new year with renewed strength. Wishing everyone a fantastic festive season ahead,” Goslett concluded.