Ready the house for holiday guests

The holiday season brings with it great meals, presents, beautiful decorations and guests- lots and lots of guests coming and going.

Holiday guests, be they family members or friends, often show up early, stay late or even pop by unexpectedly. And with them can come hectic, harried moments to get the house company-ready.

Organizing expert Vicki Norris calls this phenomenon the "dash and stash," when homeowners frantically rush around hiding clutter, hanging up coats or even strategically placing a plant or floral arrangement before opening the door.

"I recommend people strive to keep the most visible spaces of their home organized 24/7. It's not nearly as hard as it sounds," said Norris, author of "Restoring Order to Your Home."

Norris suggests several simple tricks that can help keep a home's public spaces, such as the entryway, living room or family room, neat for holiday traffic.

"For instance, placing flowers or a favorite accessory where clutter typically congregates does two things: It brightens the room and prevents future messes from settling there," said Norris.

While the family room probably is the home's superhighway, a few tweaks can eliminate those piles of roadway rubbish, such as toys and magazines. And quick fixes that yield permanent results can help ensure the entryway, the natural "drop zone" for the family's coats, shoes and keys, doesn't become an unruly hazard.

Because the entryway is the easiest place to drop things and is the first space guests see, the focus in this area should be clutter control. Determine what types of items are left here and then implement a clutter capture system.

Look around. Are there a handful of coats or an entire closetful? A few shoes or a shoe mountain?

Select and install the right storage solutions- hooks, bins, shelving, benches or other furnishings. Think about aesthetic preferences. For those who prefer not to see clutter, consider a narrow armoire to neatly store belongings.

Then personalize the entryway. Welcome guests with an inviting display of family photos, a favorite collection or fresh flowers to suit the season. Having these items on tables actually will prevent future clutter from collecting. A strategically placed floor plant can divert attention from less appealing areas.

As for the family room or living room, Norris recommends delittering and finding homes for such nomadic items as backpacks, toys, magazines and everything in between.

First decide upon the room's direction. Should it be an offramp of the kitchen or an entertainment hub where people gather to watch TV and play games? Set up a "goelsewhere" basket, so at the end of each day one can relocate items that don't belong there back to their proper places.

Create a plan of attack for accumulating papers and other misplaced possessions, including a reference binder to create a permanent home for takeout menus, gift ce rtificates, coupons and commonly reached-for phone numbers such as the dry cleaner, florist, hair stylist and movie theater.

Don't be a litter bug. Keep surfaces such as ottomans and tables clear, and beautify the room with flowers or a plant to reclaim the space and make it a nice place in which to spend time.

"Perfection is unattainable and should never be the goal," said Norris. "By clearing out the clutter and reclaiming your space, you create more time for the things that are truly important in your life."

This story is provided by State Point Media.