How to Prep Homes for the Holidays

Whether welcoming houseguests or potential homebuyers, it is time to prep homes for the holidays. Our Tampa Bay real estate team offers tips for organization, cleaning, and decorating to help you tie everything up with a bow.

First, Focus on Organization to Start the Season.

That’s right, Tampa Bay area homeowners, organization is the key to handling the holiday hoopla. Shopping lists, to-do lists, budgets, and timelines will help ensure everything gets done in time. If hosting, plan menus for dinners and prepare guestrooms in advance. Your plans may also include a need to prep homes for a future listing or showings. Whatever your goals entail, it is important to start organizing your to-dos before the hustle and bustle.

Next, Clean Your Home to Create More Space.

Ideally, clean and declutter everything now – before the carloads of extra stuff pour into your home. You might need to prepare space for the big turkey, a tall tree, seasonal decorations, dozens of gift boxes, or an influx in visitors. So, clean out the refrigerator, clear off counters, toss unneeded junk, and rearrange furniture to create more space. As you clear out your pantry, consider donating to Feeding Tampa Bay or The Community Food Pantry in Carrollwood.

Remember, creating space is important to do before bringing home bags of groceries and ahead of people visiting your Tampa Bay homes.

Finally, Decorate and Fill Your Space with Joy.

This is the fun part. After the planning and cleaning, you can decorate your home for the season. Some may want to go all out with twinkling lights and sparkle from floor to ceiling for holiday joy and family gatherings. Others may want to simply add an essence of the season with a table centerpiece, candles, or an area of beautifully wrapped gifts.

Homeowners and visitors alike may enjoy mood-boosting endorphins with decorative nods to this joyous season. If you are buying or selling, our real estate pros may also help you navigate the unique circumstances of holiday sales, such as ensuring buyers don’t miss flaws hidden by holiday decorations or helping sellers downsize or declutter areas.

Real Estate and Homes for the Holidays

Our real estate team hopes these simple tips help you prepare your homes for the holidays. It is always smart to get homes organized for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, and New Year’s Eve. With 2025 on the horizon, it is also smart to understand Florida tax benefits for closing on a home before year’s end. Buyers may save money with Homestead Exemption for 2025 if you own and occupy your new property as a primary residence by December 31, 2024.

Also, if you plan to buy or sell in Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Pasco counties, we offer expert booklets with the names of service providers recommended by our satisfied customers. These valuable books of insights could help you – before, during, and after a move.

Happy Holidays! Contact Dick and Karla Nielsen for more information about neighborhoods, buying, selling, and investing in Florida real estate.

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