Preparing Your Home for Holiday Guests

Whether your holiday guests are staying the night, just for the day or popping in for dinner, we have green clean tips to get your home holiday, entertaining ready!

A WELCOMING ENTRANCE:  Real estate agents talk about curb appeal when selling a home.  That same curb appeal applies when company’s coming!  A clutter-free entrance says, “You are Welcome Here!” 

Make sure the path to your home is clear and safe for guests.  Keep it clear from snow and use eco-friendly & pet safe ice melt as needed.

Once inside does your entryway continue the “welcoming theme”?  Be sure your entryway is scrubbed and tidy.  Is there an extra boot mat for guest boots?  They will feel more comfortable knowing there is space for them to take off their boots/shoes without muddying your nice and shiny floors.

THE FRIENDLY KITCHEN:

Once inside, offer guests a warm beverage of hot cocoa, coffee or tea.  The warm drink should be as refreshing as seeing your clean and tidy kitchen.  Cleared countertops relax the mind and give a sense of peace to the kitchen. Sinks should be empty and clean too.

Stovetops wiped down and sparkling.

An untidy kitchen may put guests at a discomfort; feeling that they have put the homeowner out with their visit.

Go to eco-friendly kitchen cleaners:  Brightly Green Dish Wash, Brightly Green Granite and Tile Cleaner, Brightly Green Stainless Steel Cleaner, Brightly Green All-Purpose Degreaser

SIT DOWN AND STAY AWHILE--LIVING/FAMILY ROOM:

A guest-friendly living room has ample places for everyone to sit down comfortably.  Are there plenty of places your guests can sit their beverage down? 

I love using Brightly Green Wood Floor Cleaner as my dusting cleaner!  Its Cedarwood essential oil fragrance gives my furniture that natural wood-sey smell.  AND Brightly Green Wood Floor Cleaner does not leave any residue behind like many furniture cleaners do.  (If I had hardwood or laminate wood flooring, I would use it on my floors too!).

Go to eco-friendly living/family room cleaners:  Brightly Green Wood Floor Cleaner, Brightly Green Glass Cleaner.

THE LITTLE MENS/WOMENS ROOM:

The bathroom should always get priority cleaning!   If the rest of your home is clean and tidy, but you forgot your bathroom, that may leave guests at some unease.  A dirty bathroom can even affect their perception of the dinner.  Don’t leave a “bad taste” with your guests.

Go to bathroom cleaners:  Brightly Green Bathroom Cleaner, Brightly Green Daily Shower Cleaner, Brightly Green Granite and Tile Cleaner

GUESTS AND PETS:

Brightly Green Multi-Purpose
Cleaner great for crates

We know you love your pets--we love ours too!  But maybe Aunt Mabel doesn’t.  Respect your dear Aunt and keep Fido away. 

If she can put up with him being around, at least be sure to minimize the smell of Fido’s presence.

Bathe your pet regularly.  I give our dog Charlie a bath one or two days before our guests arrive, so he is the freshest. 

Are you washing the bedding/blankets of your four-legged family member?  Keeping those items clean, not only helps to keep your pet clean, but reduces the pet funk smells.

If you have carpets, sprinkle the with baking soda to absorb pet smells.  Leave the baking soda on the carpet for a few minutes before vacuuming. Be sure do use the crevice device to catch pet hairs along baseboards and under furniture.

For pet beds that can’t be washed in a machine, remove covers and launder or sprinkle baking soda on the bed, leave on for a few minutes and vacuum.  Spot clean with Brightly Green Carpet and Upholstery Spot Cleaner where needed.

Go to pet household cleaners:  Brightly Green Hand Dish Wash (for pet water/food bowls), Brightly Green Multi-Purpose Cleaner (for pet crates), Brightly Green Laundry Wash (bed blankets, covers), Brightly Green Carpet and Upholstery Spot Remover (for spot cleaning large pet beds and accidents on carpets)

GOOD NIGHT - SLEEP TIGHT!  --OVERNIGHT GUESTS:

Guest bedroom/bathroom:

If possible, have extra phone chargers available. 

Do you have hotel shampoos and soaps stashed away somewhere?  Treat your guests to their own personal toiletries.  The sample toothpaste you get from your dentist is also a nice addition to your guest toiletry basket or bin.  Set out your best hand/bath towels and washcloths. Give the guest bed pillows a fluff and be sure the guest room is very clean!


Do you have any tips on preparing your home for holiday entertaining?  We would love to hear about them!  Please leave us a comment below!  

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The Gift of Gratitude

Gratitude embraces the small things and small moments.

Gratitude sees the cup half full rather than half empty.

Gratitude is others-oriented.

Gratitude is a hug-to-others.

Gratitude is a hug-to-self.

Gratitude is universal.

Gratitude is limitless.

Gratitude is the PAUSE BUTTON 
on our wants and desires. 

It seeks contentment.

It welcomes peace.

It feels full.

This holiday season:

May you be swept up by Gratitude rather than the hustling & bustling.

May you have greater Joy in giving because you are filled with Gratitude.

May you discover Peace within as you reflect on Gratitude.

May you spread Love because your heart is full of Gratitude.

A Grateful heart is contagious.

Spread Gratitude!

Spreading Christmas Cheer & Gratitude--
from the family of Brightly Green eco-friendly cleaning products!

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Prepping the Pantry for Thanksgiving!

Don’t find yourself like Old Mother Hubbard who went to the cupboard and found it bare! 

Make sure you have the ingredients you need for your Thanksgiving celebration--TODAY!

How Can I Avoid a Stressful Holiday Season?

The holiday season is speeding upon us!  

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is just two weeks away with Christmas four weeks later! 

Would you like to avoid the stress that too often comes with the season?

Let me give you two crucial words:  

BUDGET.

 PLAN.

HOLIDAY BUDGET:

A MUST if you want to have a stress-less holiday season!

            Even with a robust economy, planning a budget and sticking to it relieves the unnecessary financial stress we, as a society, too often place upon ourselves at Christmas.

Pitfalls to avoid:

1) Don’t ask Tommy what he wants for Christmas before you’ve established a holiday budget!  Otherwise, you may feel too much pressure to get Tommy “X” when you really can’t (or shouldn’t) afford it!

2) Don’t make purchases based on the reasoning; “it was a really good sale!” Be stealth and look for deals only for the items ON YOUR LIST! 

Peace to discover:

1) Financial peace.  Need I say more?  I will anywayJ  Peace is the opposite of stress.  Which sounds more appealing to you?

2) Sticking to your budget and making gift selections by that budget will take the chaos out of shopping.  Whether you shop at retail or online stores, you’ll experience a calm confidence in your purchases!

For the love of landfills…

Did you know that children loose interest in their new toys in a matter of months (if not less)?  The “latest and greatest” toys/games/gadgets lose their shimmer in a hurry! 

Will your gift end up taking residence in a local landfill?

What never ends up in landfills or is lost?  Memories.

Consider gifting memories this Christmas season.  Gift -experiences to young and old.  In fact, memories grow fonder as the years go by.

            I guess you could say it’s the gift that shimmers brighter with time!

HOLIDAY PLANNING:

A MUST if you want to have a stress-less holiday season!

            Holiday planning goes hand-in-glove with creating a holiday budget. Once your budget is created, planning the “whats” and “whens,” is a piece of cake!

WHAT holiday meals are you going to be involved preparing?

WHEN should you get the ingredients?

WHAT gifts do you need to purchase?

WHEN do you need to have them purchased by? (When will your get-togethers be?)

WHAT holiday events (school concerts/office parties/church-community outreach events) are you involved with or attend?

WHEN do you need to schedule/purchase tickets, etc. for these events?

WHAT family members are coming as overnight guests during the holidays?

WHEN should you be preparing the guest room(s), preparing meal ideas?

Remember: Set the budget. Make the plan.

You’ll be on your way toward a stress-less holiday season!

Next week’s holiday tips: 

Brightly Green Pantry Prep for Thanksgiving

We have our own ideas on “Whats” and “Whens” to share!

Sneak Peek: 

Brightly Green Multi-Purpose Cleaner & Brightly Green HandDish Wash are pantry friends! 

Low on supplies?  Put your order in NOW @ Brightly Green Store

Please Leave a comment and a link to your Blog and or website!