How to Prepare Your Home for Fall Hosting and Holiday Guests
In other parts of the country, fall signals a bracing for winter: cleaning up the leaves in the yard to get the lawn ready for snow and frost, putting away or covering the outdoor furniture, and making sure everything is ready for the cold. In Scottsdale, fall means the opposite: cooler evenings bring the return of patio season, open windows, and hosting gatherings. Between the holiday gatherings, visits from family and friends that last several nights, and hosting dinners with large guest lists, you’ll want to ensure your home is up to the tasks ahead. This article covers the maintenance, upgrades, and repairs that get your home ready before the first guest arrives.
What Fall Home Maintenance Should Scottsdale Homeowners Do Before Hosting?
Summer can be hard on a Scottsdale home. Between the heavy monsoon rains and winds, the dust storms, and the heat, there are usually a few things that need addressing once fall rolls around. Getting your home maintenance done now means one less thing on your plate once guests start arriving.
Doors and Windows
After a few months of heat, door and window seals may be cracked, flattened, or brittle. Replacing worn weatherstripping and installing new door sweeps can help fend off drafts, keep pests out, and prevent dust from getting in. Weatherproofing your windows and doors ensures your home doesn’t get too cold over the winter or too warm once the days heat up again. The winds and rain from monsoon storms can bend or warp window screens, window frames, and screen doors. Repairing or replacing screens and frames is an easy upgrade for more usable windows.
Sliding doors can become a nuisance or security concern if the doors stick, lag, or won’t latch correctly. Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale can adjust the tracks, replace the rollers, or replace doors that are beyond repair, so access to the patio or yard is easy and without stress.
The intense sun, heat, and storms can cause signs of wear on exterior paint, and a worn front door is quickly noticed by guests. Giving the front door a fresh coat of paint or replacing it altogether is a quick way to refresh your home’s entry. Additionally, adding a keyless entry to the door makes it easy for overnight guests to come and go on their own schedule.
Exterior Refresh
Getting the patio ready for fall entertaining can be a bigger undertaking than people bargain for, especially after an especially active monsoon season. Dust, dirt, and debris can cover the yard, patio, and furniture in a layer of grime that’s difficult to get off without the right tools. Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale offers powerwashing services to clean up your patio, house exterior, furniture, driveway, or pool deck and get it ready for a season of use ahead.
If the damage goes beyond power washing, Mr. Handyman can help. Check your deck for loose or warped boards, wobbly railings, and popped fasteners. Each is a straightforward repair, but left alone, they can become trip and fall hazards for guests. Sealing, staining, and coating pool decks can give them a much-needed refresh and leave them looking brand new.
How Can You Prepare Your Home for Holiday Gatherings and Dinner Parties?
A full house puts a lot of pressure on the home, particularly on the kitchen, dining room, patio, and bathrooms. Making a few targeted repairs and upgrades in these spaces can make cooking and hosting easier on you and create a comfortable space for your guests.
Kitchen and Dining Room
A dripping faucet, loose handle, or weak water pressure becomes hard to ignore during a full day of holiday cooking and cleanup. Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale can repair or replace kitchen faucets, including upgrading to a pull-down sprayer that makes rinsing large pots and platters easier. In the dining room, the fixture over the table sets the tone for the evening. A dimmer switch lets that one light run at full brightness for setup and serving, then at a softer level once everyone sits down to eat.
Outdoor Lighting and Power
Outdoor lighting fixtures can take a beating over the summer season between the storms and harsh sun. Dimmed or burned-out lights can make it difficult to see patios, steps, and walkways. Installing or replacing deck or patio lights and adding light timers so lights come on once the sun sets makes it easier and safer for guests to use your outdoor space.
Looking to set up holiday lighting? Mr. Handyman can handle the installation, so you can deck out the house without climbing a ladder yourself.
How Do You Get Your Home Ready for Overnight Holiday Guests?
Rooms like the guest bedroom and bathroom can go largely unused for a lot of the year, which allows small issues to hide and go unnoticed. Inspecting these rooms and making small upgrades can get them ready for guests before the company arrives.
Guest Bathroom
Any small issues in the guest bathroom can become pain points during a multi-night stay. Toilets that won’t stop running, have slow leaks, or weak flushes can be a problem during periods of heavy use. Repairing or replacing the toilet can ensure the bathroom holds up to weeks of heavier use.
Adding grab bars in the shower or by the toilet for older guests prevents an accidental grab of the towel bar for support, which can’t support the weight of a person and may come out of the wall. Grab bars are anchored in and can fully support the weight of someone who needs something to grab onto to prevent slipping.
Guest Room
The guest room may double as a storage room for much of the year, which can give visitors little space to unpack their things or put a suitcase. Installing shelving in the closet can free up valuable floor space for your guests.
If the windows lack blinds or drapes, it can make guests uncomfortable or make it difficult to fall asleep if there’s a lot of light outside. Adding blinds gives guests much-needed privacy and darkness to sleep comfortably.
Get Your Scottsdale Home Holiday-Ready With Mr. Handyman
Having friends and family over for the holiday season should be a fun and joyous occasion, not something that adds additional stress to your plate. If you have a long to-do list to get your home ready for guests and the holidays, call Mr. Handyman of Scottsdale. From exterior cleanups and holiday lights to installations, repairs, and upgrades, the team can take care of the entire list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What home repairs should you make before hosting holiday guests?
Before hosting holiday guests, focus on the spaces that see the heaviest use: entryways, the kitchen, the patio, and the guest bedroom and bathroom. Common fixes include replacing worn weatherstripping, repairing sticking doors, fixing leaky faucets and running toilets, and replacing burned-out outdoor lights. Addressing these ahead of time keeps small problems from becoming disruptions during busy cooking days and multi-night stays.
What home maintenance is needed after summer in Scottsdale?
After a Scottsdale summer, check doors, windows, exterior surfaces, and outdoor fixtures for damage from heat, monsoon storms, and dust. Intense heat can crack and flatten weatherstripping, while monsoon wind and rain can bend screens, warp frames, and wear down exterior paint and decking. Dust storms also leave grime on patios, furniture, and light fixtures. Fall is the right time to make these repairs, before cooler weather brings more time outdoors and more guests indoors.
How do you get a patio ready for fall entertaining?
Getting a patio ready for fall entertaining starts with a thorough cleaning, followed by repairs to decking, railings, and outdoor lighting. Power washing removes the dust and debris that build up on patios, pool decks, and furniture over the summer. Loose or warped deck boards, wobbly railings, and popped fasteners should be fixed, since they create trip hazards. Replacing dim fixtures and adding lighting timers helps guests move safely across steps and walkways after dark.
How do you prepare a guest room and guest bathroom for overnight visitors?
Prepare a guest room and bathroom by testing everything guests will use and fixing issues that may have gone unnoticed while the rooms sat empty. In the bathroom, check for running toilets, slow leaks, and weak flushes, and consider grab bars near the toilet and shower for older visitors. In the guest room, closet shelving gives guests space to unpack, and blinds provide privacy and darkness for sleeping. Handling these fixes in advance keeps a multi-night stay comfortable.
