Getting ready to welcome friends and family into your home for the busy holiday season can be exciting and overwhelming. If you’re in charge of organizing the gathering and preparing the holiday meal, then the task is even more daunting if your home still seems out of order.

While the approaching holidays may not be the best time to embark on any major home upgrades, there are a few smaller projects you can tackle (or complete) to get your home ready for the holidays.

Here are eight home projects that should be completed before the holidays so guests can enjoy a beautiful home.

Dress the powder room

The approaching holidays are the perfect excuse to finish off the bathroom or guest toilet you started months ago. Adding beautiful wallpaper, updating light fixtures, installing inexpensive flooring, and stocking up on essentials is the perfect project to ensure that this space is not only beautiful for guests to admire, but also functional.

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Declutter

Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner or hosting relatives for a multi-day stay, the holidays are the perfect time to do some last-minute decluttering.

Go through your closet and drawers to throw away items you’ve acquired throughout the year and reduce visual stress by making your home look more minimal and ready your space for winter and holiday giving.

Upgrading cabinet hardware

Make a statement in your kitchen by upgrading your cabinet hardware. This simple home project dramatically enhances your kitchen design (in a good way), no matter what style of hardware you choose.

And since cabinet hardware isn’t an expensive project, this is a great budget-friendly task for improving your kitchen without a major remodel before the busy holiday season.

Add shelves to the guest bedroom

Before guests move in for a few days, make your bedroom feel like home by adding a new set of shelves. This simple, cost-effective project makes the space more functional by offering storage for guests and provides the perfect place to style your guest bedroom!

Touch the front door

Just as interiors need a little love before the holiday season, so does your exterior. One area to focus on is the front door, which sets the tone before guests step inside.

Replacing or repainting your front door is an easy home project to complete before the holiday season to add extra curb appeal and complete your home design.

Secure the stairs

Do you have a grand staircase in your home? We’ll assume there’s at least one squeaky step that needs to be replaced. Before guests head up the stairs and are surprised to encounter cracked old boards, consider securing your staircase with new boards.

And if your staircase has spindle railings instead of drywall, dress up the space for the holiday by wrapping the railing in a decorated wreath. It’s also a great time to shampoo your runner’s carpet or lay down a new fresh one.

Clean up the front yard

Just like your front door, the yard will be the first thing your guests see when they arrive at your home, so why not make a good impression starting from the outside?

Clean up the area by putting away any lawn toys or items that might be lying around in your shed before watering any winter plants you have along the way. And while you’re at it, it would be a great time to add a set of track lighting to light the way to your freshly painted front door.

Style the Entryway

When guests walk past your lawn, your entryway makes the first impression they make when they step into your home.

Set a cozy, homey scene with an updated entryway design that features all the essentials, from a console table to baskets for texture, an accent wall mirror, a running rug, and a few table pieces to show off your style.