Holidays are a wonderful time of the year that most look forward to with anticipation. More homeowners this year are considering doing some kitchen remodeling to create the ideal kitchen in which to hold family dinners and holiday parties with friends and loved ones.
Installing new custom cabinets or adding a beautiful kitchen island with a worktop that suits your family's cooking needs are a few ideas that would make the holiday preparations immensely easier and more functional.
Make your holiday celebration special and less stressful this year. With a bit of planning and preparation, they can be merry and bright!
“If you can dream it, you can do it." – Walt Disney
Create Your Dream Functional Kitchen Design
Take the time to jot down your ideas for your dream kitchen layout that has a functional design that flows naturally while cooking and preparing meals. Every family will have different cooking styles and preferences in how the kitchen work area should be laid out for easy food prep.
Having a designated work space is key to the entire flow of your kitchen space. Concentrate on the triangular area from prep station to sink and to range or oven. Creating a custom kitchen island is an easy way to accomplish this goal without a lot of fuss or effort.
Clean Your Kitchen from Top to Bottom
Give yourself enough time to thoroughly clean your kitchen area from top to bottom. With others in your kitchen, you don't want the embarrassment of a messy countertop, a dirty oven or a fridge with expired food.
Make up a list of cleaning chores, and assign some of the work to other family members if possible. Do a little each day, and it is surprising how fast things will get done.
This is an excellent time to consider utilizing professional cleaning services, if you have a busy schedule!
Plan Your Perfect Holiday Party
Next, plan your upcoming festivities and focus on holiday party organization. Sometimes it's easy to make a list of your to-do tasks. It could include:
- Sending out invitations
- Decide on a meal plan
- Get recipes & figure out proportions of ingredients needed
- Take stock of your cooking/baking supplies including spices
- Make a shopping list
- Plan, make or shop for decorations
- Consider special dietary concerns - vegetarians, food allergies
- Decide on drinks and non-alcoholic alternatives
Clean Out Fridge, Microwave & Stove
A few days before the party, clean out your fridge so that there will be plenty of room for your groceries and leftovers later. Also clean off your stove and inside the microwave.
Shop for Holiday Food
With your grocery list in hand head to the store for needed supplies. Shop sales when able, and plan a food budget before this day arrives.
Some stores offer online shopping with curbside pickup or home delivery during this time of year. Remember to shop early as some holiday favorites might be depleted quickly.
Decorate for the Holidays
Get out your holiday decorations and have fun with them. When using decor in the kitchen, be sure to have room enough for baking. Simple seasonal decorative items include candles, pine branches, and edible holiday foods.
Choose a table centerpiece, and provide enough silverware and china for everyone in attendance. Doing this planning ahead of time can ensure a smoother operation when the celebration day arrives.
Kids love to help with decorating, and putting on some holiday music can get everyone in a festive mood.
Bake Cookies with Kids
Sometime before the holidays, take a look at your kitchen design and try to map out a functional kitchen plan that allows for more cooks in the kitchen. This could be as easy as setting up an extra table or moving something to create more food prep space.
Cookie making can be an enjoyable time for people of all ages. This can be done ahead of time, or on the night before the celebration party.
Polish Good Silverware & Clean Good China
Before the big celebration day arrives, get out your good china and best silverware. Polish and/or clean and buff to a shine. Check and ensure that you have all of the cooking utensils and place settings. If not, make plans to borrow or buy them ahead of time.
Make Last Minute Preparations
After all the hard work and planning are completed, make any last minute preparations. This could include getting a fresh floral arrangement for the table, making any snack items for before the main meal as guests arrive and clearing out a place to hold coats and boots during the party.
Enjoy the Holidays
On the day of the party, get dressed early, light the candles and put on some holiday music. Then, be sure to relax and cherish sharing these moments with your family and close friends.
After the holidays, take note of anything lacking in your kitchen design space. Consider hiring a contractor to do a bit of kitchen remodeling. There may be discounted rates during the off season as an added bonus.
Don’t have time to clean the house before or after the holidays? Contact a local cleaning company and request a free quote!
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