Make all merry and bright with these home revamping tips

(BPT) - The holidays are imminent, and you’re looking forward to inviting friends and family to your home to celebrate. Or maybe not . . .

 A closer look at your furniture reveals unseemly damage you’ve stopped noticing because you see it every day. Your couch cushions have more torn sides than intact ones, your flower arrangements can no longer hide the gouges in your table and your recliner has more duct tape patches than your ducts.

But fear not, host extraordinaire! You still have time to get your furnishings and the rest of your house looking great by the holidays so you can relax and enjoy the festivities along with your guests. Here are tips for making that happen.

*Make a to-do list. Take a notebook and walk through all the rooms in your house a guest is likely to visit. Write down areas that could use maintenance, cleaning or repair.

*Spring for in-home furniture repair. You may be surprised what a company like Guardsman In-Home Care & Repair can do with your furnishings. Such services can clean and repair items as diverse as fabric and leather; provide cushion and zipper replacement; and repair wood stains, burns, water marks, denting and cracking on many types of surfaces. Guardsman can even handle repairs involving frames, joints, springs, and recliner mechanisms. Additionally, sprucing up existing furniture is a much greener option than buying new, not to mention a smart way to preserve favorite pieces and family heirlooms.

*Declutter. Donate unwanted and unused items to charity. Store anything you won’t use again until the warmer months.

*Clean floors and other surfaces. Dust walls, clean spots and scuffs and finish up with a damp mop. Wipe off baseboards and stair railings with dryer sheets to prevent dust and hair from sticking.

*Create a festive atmosphere. Decorate with fresh flowers, fresh greenery and strings of lights and/or candles on the day of your gathering.

*Make entry points especially welcoming. Consider adding a holiday tree or wall hanging, or perhaps a new rug, lighting design or fountain.

With a little planning, you can feel confident about showing off your home to guests. And what happens if all that holiday entertaining leaves your furnishings with a few extra dings? Don’t worry – Guardsman can come back to fix almost any furniture emergency at www.guardsmanfurniturerepair.com  or 1-800-788-8020.