We have discussed preparing to clean and we have worked our way through the kitchen, bedrooms and dining room. Now it is time for the living room and some general tips. While the kitchen is the heart of your home, your living room is the centerpiece of your home. With the exception of meals, most of your entertaining takes place in your living room. Most of the living your family does at home is done in the living room. Therefore, you want the room to offer a welcoming greeting to guests and a comfortable environment for your family. I once lived down the street from a woman who made her living room into a showplace. Her two small sons were not allowed into the room because she was afraid the might break something or get the carpet or furniture dirty. This is NOT the way an Extreme Diva treats her home or family.
People ALWAYS come first, whether it is your family or guests. If you live in fear that someone is going to spill on your sofa, then you need to get more user friendly furniture!
Now, down to the cleaning. Take a good look at your carpet and furniture. Is it time to have things cleaned? Many professional carpet cleaners offer specials before the holidays. Now is the perfect time to clean the carpets in your home. Do it while the weather is still cooperative in case you need to move any pieces outside temporarily. The cleaners can also do some spot cleaning on your furniture if necessary. You may just need the arms of the couch and chairs gone over to clean them up.
If the carpet does not need to be cleaned, then vacuum under and behind everything. You want to eliminate all the dust possible before you turn on the furnace for the winter. If window treatments are washable, throw them in the laundry and clean the windows and window sills. If draperies need to be dry-cleaned, take them in to be cleaned, one window at a time. This makes it easier on your arms when you go to rehang them and on your wallet when you have to pay for the cleaning.
Do you have throw pillows on your furniture? Take a look at them and decide whether or not they need a face lift. An easy way to accomplish this is with colorful print napkins. I bought some inexpensive cloth napkins, put them seam side together, stitched closely around the edge on 3 sides, then slipped the pillow in. Finally, I stitched the 4th side and ta- da, a brand new pillow. You can buy napkins in autumn prints and holiday prints to give your room a different look throughout the season.
You want to polish your furniture and clean and knickknacks that adorn your room. Add some fragrant potpourri and you have a welcoming room that is ready for the winter and the holidays.
While you are working on the living room, take time to consider any entertaining you plan to do. Also, think about the position of your Christmas tree or other large decorations. Arrange your room NOW for the holidays so you can clean it accordingly. Develop a floor plan for any events you’re hosting and get the furniture ready now. Well, at least as much as possible. This makes the time before your event easier to manage.
So, the inside of your house is clean. Now, do a little bit of work outside. Clean windows on the outside. You don’t have to put a lot of work into this since the weather is about to turn nasty but you want the outside of your home to look fresh and clean like the inside. Stand in front of your house, back far enough so you can take it all in. Is there anything that needs a bit of work? Perhaps the shrubs need a final trim for the season.
Maybe there are leaves and other outside debris that you need to tidy up. Take just a few minutes to study your home and take care of those things that take away from the attractiveness of your home. Remember, the first impression guests get of your home is when they come up the walk. Make it a good first impression.
Bedroom
Dining Room
Kitchen
Living Room
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