It’s official, December is here, and now the Christmas countdown can really begin!

While Christmas is still a few weeks away, you can guarantee they’ll fly by in a haze of present buying and festive dinners and parties.

If you’re hosting Christmas this year or plan on having some visitors, you’ll want to make sure that your home is ready in plenty of time. Ready to tackle that Christmas countdown to do list? Here are some handy tips on getting your home ready for Christmas.

Clear the cupboards

Cooking and preparing food over Christmas is stressful enough in itself, without having to battle through old tins and supplies to find everything you need.

Take some time to go through your cupboards, freezer and fridge to get rid of any products that might be out of date or past their best. This way you’ll have plenty of space to fit all your festive food for a stress-free kitchen.

Make sure your home is ready for guests

When you’re not used to a full household, it can be difficult to remember all of the things you need to accommodate your guests. Ensure that you have enough seating, a large enough dining table and more importantly – good stocks of plates and cutlery, etc.

If you plan on having people spend the night, get all of the spare bedding washed and ironed ready and rid your spare bedroom of any clutter.

Try Bed, Bath ‘n Table or Temple and Webster for all your guest bedroom linens, towels, and scented candles.

Do a sweep of the garden

With the weather getting warmer by the day, the odds are you’ll be spending a lot of the holidays outside. Barbeques and garden parties are a fun way to get everyone together during the holidays, so it’s important to make sure your garden is in good shape.

Clear up any mess and give the lawn a good trim. If you spot any unwanted slithery friends, call in professional snake catchers – you don’t want to be dealing with snakes when your guests are enjoying themselves!

As part of your Christmas countdown, ensure you’ve got plenty of extra seating and some umbrellas to offer shade too.

Try Luxo Living and Interior Secrets for stylish outdoor settings and garden decor.

Make it Christmassy

It can be difficult to make your home look traditionally Christmassy when the temperatures outside are soaring. Luckily, it’s all about the decoration.

Make your tree the focal point of your living room and add some Christmas ornaments and lights around the home to help it look more festive.

A homemade festive wreath is easy to make and will make a wonderful first impression when people knock on your door. While it may not be snowing outside, you could always add some artificial snow inside.

Christmas is the perfect time of year to get together with family and friends and celebrating. Make sure you get to make the most of the festive season by getting your home preparations out of the way nice and early. It will be here before you know it!

Try Pottery Barn and Zanui for beautiful table settings and Christmas decorations.