Hosting the holidays can be a big undertaking. If you’re looking forward to hosting this year but want to ditch the chaos and stress, use these tips from NSA Storage for smooth sailing into the New Year! With a little preparation, a stress-free Christmas is possible.

The Most Important Tip: Keep a Positive Mindset

Even if you’re a planning and organizing pro, Christmas can still be stressful. You might run into kinks or mishaps along the way. If you do, the best thing to do is stay positive. 

Nobody is looking for holiday perfection. If your Christmas plans get upended, interrupted, or co-opted, keep these things in mind:

• Take breaks to step away. A moment alone with your thoughts can be very calming.
• Focus on having a good time instead of being hypercritical of yourself.
• If your guests want to help, let them. Some people truly love to pitch in on Christmas.
• Don’t overcommit your time or effort. That goes for shopping, decorating, volunteering, or planning the menu. 

Planning Tips to Stay Ahead of the Christmas Chaos

Professional party planners all agree that, for a stress-free Christmas at home, planning ahead is a must. That includes starting early so that you don’t have to scramble at the last minute. 

Below are some tips designed to help you plan ahead and be ready when Santa arrives:

1. Make a List, and Check It Twice

Using a pen and paper or an app, make a master list of all the tasks you need to complete. Shopping, wrapping, decorating, organizing, the dinner menu, etc. Then check things off as you get them done.

2. Plan the Menu Early

Knowing ahead of time what you plan to cook on Christmas can be extremely helpful. That way, you’ll be able to buy your ingredients, get your kitchen tools organized, and have everything ready.

3. Confirm Your Guests and ask for RSVPs

Cooking for a large number of people takes extra time and effort. Knowing how many will be coming ensures you don’t waste time, energy, or food on Christmas day. How do you do that? Ask everyone to RSVP!

4. Put Together a Timeline

Take the list you made and create a timeline of what you need to do, and when, leading up to Christmas Eve and day. That way, you won’t have to try and do everything in the last one or two days.

Tips for Decluttering and Making Extra Space for Guests

If your home is already filled to the brim, making space and decluttering is a must. After all, your guests need room to breathe, eat, and relax. The tips below will create that extra space:

• Clear out high-traffic areas in your home. That includes the entrance, kitchen, living room, and den.
• Make extra space for everyone’s shoes, coats, hats, gloves, and other clothing items.
• Remove and store anything that isn’t needed on your kitchen counters.
• Clean out your fridge, freezer, and pantry to make room for ingredients and leftovers.

Save Time and Effort with Meal Prep Tips

Unless you’re a seasoned chef, cooking for a large crowd can be a bit overwhelming. If you’re stressed about making Christmas dinner, the meal prep tips below will be very helpful:

1. Prepare Some Recipes and Ingredients Beforehand

Anything you can prepare before Christmas day will help lower your stress levels. Cakes and pies, for example, as well as hors d’oeuvres and side dishes. Many ingredients can be prepped ahead of time, also. This will leave you more time to focus on the big stuff.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

On the days leading up to, and including, Christmas, if you need help, ask for it. Many of your guests will no doubt be eager and happy to help you.

4. Keep Christmas Breakfast Simple

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are when many families are busy serving their biggest meal of the year. On those two days, do yourself a favor and serve a simple breakfast to your guests. Buy some fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola for easy yogurt parfaits, or cereal and milk.

Tips for Preparing Your Guest and Common Rooms

Here are a few tips for prepping your guest rooms and keeping family and friends comfy during Christmas:

• Put out fresh linens
• Make a small basket with common toiletries
• Leave extra TP in the bathroom
• Leave a note with the Wi-Fi and Internet passwords 
• Purchase an air mattress with a built-in air pump

Top Holiday Organization and Storage Tips

Staying organized and keeping things stored correctly is a must during the Christmas holiday. These tips will help:

• Keep everything to wrap and decorate gifts in one spot
• Label everything that’s not easy to identify
• Stock up on reusable plastic food storage containers
• If your home or apartment is truly full of stuff, consider renting a storage unit for a month or two. It’s easy, convenient, affordable, and will free up oodles of space! You can even rent a storage unit to hide Christmas presents.

Store with NSA Storage for the Holidays

Using the tips above should help you stay focused, energized, and, hopefully, less stressed this Christmas. More than that, they will help you to better enjoy yourself and all your people-pleasing preparations. 

At NSA Storage, we can help you prep for Christmas with safe, clean storage units to store all your stuff. Decorations, gifts, extra furniture and more, we can safely store it for you both short or long term. Rent a storage unit today at your local NSA Storage facility or reserve storage units online. Once you do, they’ll be ready to help you make the most of the holiday and magically reduce your stress! Until then, all of us at NSA Storage wish you and yours the Merriest of Christmases and a Happy New Year!