Tips for Getting Your Home Holiday Ready

This year, the holidays will be different because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but different does not equal disappointment nor boring. Yes, we are currently under attack by an invisible enemy, creeping behind those that are not wary and careful, but there’s still a way to preserve the holiday spirit.

Our homes are the safest place to be right now while restaurants, malls and public spaces are at high-risk and should be avoided. Large gatherings are also prohibited in most places as ordered by local governments, especially in locations with high number of cases.

So, how can you make your home ready for the coming holidays? Is there a way to make it safe for a fairly small gathering and celebrating with family and friends? 

Start by making more space

Keyrenter Hampton Roads Property Management says space is very important in keeping indoor spaces safe for gatherings. Social distancing is advised by health experts during this pandemic. It is a very effective preventive measure that dramatically lessens the risk of catching the virus from nearby carriers. It must be observed even when around people who have tested negative since the novel coronavirus has an incubation period of up to 14 days. This means that once you’ve caught the virus, you won’t show any symptoms right ahead.

Make sure that your guests are given a minimum of 2 square meters each.

Outdoor spaces are safer than indoors because of natural ventilation. The virus has been found to be able to stay in air particles for up to 3 hours in enclosed environments without proper ventilation or disinfection.

If you have an outdoor space, it is much better to use as an extension for your gathering – decreasing the number of guests inside your house. Better yet, avoid the indoors and use outdoor spaces only.

Clean regularly

During the holidays when family and friends come to visit you in your home, you must clean regularly to keep yourself and your guests safe.

When outsiders enter your home, there is a chance that they are bringing the virus with them on their clothes, shoes and belongings. As you should know, the virus can survive on certain surfaces for 3 hours up to 3 days including fabric, plastic, cardboard, and metals. The only way to make sure that the virus does not welcome itself to your property is through regular cleaning.

Regular cleaning requires a lot of work and a chunk of your budget for cleaning materials and tools. If you’re too busy during the holidays to handle a broom and a mop, you might need to consider a good quality house cleaning service to take the responsibility off your hands.

In addition, hiring professionals to do the dirty work is a more cost-efficient way of combating the virus and keeping your house clean. These professionals are trained and properly equipped to clean and disinfect homes no matter the size and frequency. In the long run, you’re guaranteed to save a good amount of money from cleaning supplies and a healthier and safer home.

Maintain proper ventilation

Open your doors and windows if you choose to entertain your guests inside your home. This is to let the stale air out and fresh air in. Air circulation is a must to keep the virus at bay.

You can also consider installing exhaust fans to boost the ventilation process and improve the quality of air inside your home. Electric fans also help in air circulation and a much cheaper alternative.

Frequent disinfection, before and after gatherings

The World Health Organization advises everybody to frequently disinfect mostly touched surfaces including chairs, tables, keyboards, door handles, and the like. This is to prevent anyone from leaving traces of the virus for others to catch.

In social gatherings, this must be done more often to maintain a virus-free environment.

Make sure that you have enough supplies of disinfectants may it be ordinary soap, water, isopropyl alcohol and bleach. Disinfection should also be included when cleaning your home. After sweeping, mopping and wiping your furnitures, follow up with disinfection to fully keep your home virus-free.

Contribute to the world’s efforts to flatten the curve by keeping your house clean

You as a homeowner can keep yourself and your family safe and healthy by following the preventive measures given by health experts which include social distancing, hand hygiene and frequent disinfection. Most importantly, at the same time, you’re also keeping others safe and helping constrain the spread of the virus.