*This is a sponsored post.

Weirdly, it’s almost the end of 2022. Didn’t this year just start? I feel like I’m stuck back in 2019, but let’s keep on keeping on. Am I right? Anyways, for many folks, the end of the year brings the holiday season. For me, I’m looking forward to Halloween, the familial aspects of thanksgiving, and the Christmas holidays. And as the holidays etch nearer, that may mean inviting more guests into your home than usual. You want to make sure your house is ready for guests and ready for a cozy next few months.

Do a deep clean

We all know about spring cleaning, but have you ever considered a fall fix-up (just kidding - I made that up). Seriously though, a deep cleaning is probably helpful more than once a year. And that’s coming from me, a person who tends to hate chores. Think about some of the following ways to get your house super sparkly like a Twilight vampire in the sun:

- Remove everything from all the cabinets. Wipe down the cabinets and the items from the cabinets before putting them back up.

- Dust the tops of those spaces you typically ignore - the top of cabinets that don’t go to the ceiling, the fridge, tops of bookshelves, etc.

- Wipe down countertops, mantels, entertainment centers, etc. There’s too much dust everywhere (and I mean everywhere). 

- Use one of these cool utensils to remove pet hair from furniture, rugs, etc.

- Deep clean your carpets.

- Wash pet beds, kennels, blankets; throw out old toys.

- Wash your own bedding and pillows, spot clean your mattress.

- Get rid of things you no longer want - clothes that don’t fit or that no longer feel “good,” donate books you know you’ll never read, clear your counters of old mail and clutter.

This is obviously not all-inclusive, but some things to consider to get you started.

Call in the maintenance folks

While some folks are clearly very handy and tend to manage their own home maintenance needs, it’s helpful to have professionals occasionally come over to check things out. Plus, it may be required for the warranties for some of your appliances. Many HVAC providers change air filters during a routine maintenance visit, but I’m also a big fan of an air filter (and water filter) subscription service, so you don’t have to worry about figuring out what size filters you need every three months then forgetting to change them. It can also be a good idea to have your pipes checked out before the freezing weather rolls in. If you have a septic tank, you want to make sure everything’s good to go before you have a multitude of visitors. No one wants their septic tank to back up ever, but especially when you’ve got guests around. Whether you’re looking for a cleaning, an inspection, or a repair, Scorpion Septic offers many services for anyone who has a septic system or is looking to get one. For folks looking for services like septic pumping in Marietta or the Atlanta-area, Scorpion Septic can help.

Break out the festive home goods

Have you heard? I love the holidays, and I love decorating for the holidays. How you celebrate your level of festiveness is up to you. Maybe it’s switching out your hand towels to festive colors, or maybe it’s going all out with holiday trees in every room. It’s up to you, but the decor is the final step of prepping your home for the holidays. Now you’re ready to have your friends and family stop by. Here’s to hoping it’s the best holiday season yet.