HGP 2014 week 10, Family Room

[HouseElf]

Moving into the heart of the household, it's Week Ten at the Holiday Grand Plan: Family Room Week!

The family room is the heart of the home, and never more so than during the holiday season. We'll clean and organize this central area of family life as we begin to think ahead to holiday visitors.

In holiday prep, we'll celebrate Halloween, then recycle autumn decorations to look forward to Thanksgiving. Keep working on those gifts!

Ready? Let's get organized with the Holiday Grand Plan!

Cleaning/Organizing Area:

• Family Room
• Family Room checklist
  

Holiday Prep:

• Make one batch of Holiday Goodies.
• Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.
• Buy two canned food items from menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).
• Buy 1/8th of TO BUY gifts. Save all receipts, note return policy before buying. Ask for gift boxes.
• Wrap and label packages. If needing to ship, get some shipping boxes now and store packages in them.
• Work at least 1 hour a day on homemade gifts.
• Polish silver; clean glassware (baking soda & water). Put candleholders in freezer to help remove wax. Alcohol removes stains from candles.
• Take down Halloween decorations. Put up Thanksgiving ones.
• DO NOT shampoo carpet - partying people spill things.
• Clean/clear library/front hall closet so there will be room for guests' coats. Give unwanted coats to charity. Store other stuff in attic in empty luggage.

 

[HouseElf]

Hallowe'en is put away, and with it most of the 'autumn decorations'. Placed our poppy wreath on the door, and started to prep the urn and hanging basket for winter greens. Will switch out the wreath after Remembrance Day week. No other decorations needed till closer to First Advent for us.

We only have one 'family room'/livingroom - so it's in pretty good shape overall - being the smallest room in our house! I pulled off the cushions and tossed the covers and throws into the wash this morning, sunny and windy enough outside to refresh the inserts on the line.

Sprayed the fixed cushions with a linen spray (clove and orange essential oils) and wiped down the cane on the chairs.

Pulled the portable heaters out and wiped them down, ready for the cooler nights (with an old house we often need 'spot' heating in the bedrooms).

Ordered the boys new slippers!:snowball: No snow yet, hoping it holds off till closer to December (and after I have the snow tires put on!)

 

[AuntJamelle]

Not too much to report other than some more freezer cooking

- 1 DIY Pizza in the freezer

- 1 batch of Garlic Seasoning in the freezer (for garlic bread, sprinkling on veggies, baked potatoes, etc.)

Have two fresh chickens in fridge that I'll be cooking tonight to get the meat shredded and in bags for the freezer. Will freeze the bones for making stock.

Will make some more DIY Pizzas for the freezer after grocery run later this week.