*Check lights on holiday decor, change bulbs if necessary; buy batteries for gifts; ensure cameras are charged, and so on.

*Clean. clean. clean.  Prep guest rooms with fresh towels and linens, and I like to set up a small tray of incidentals and toiletries in case someone forgets anything while traveling. By this Friday I’ll have all of my cookware and serving platters labeled with stickies so there’s no rummaging around last minute. I’ll also use my Friday prep day to set up all of the entertaining areas. We play games during the holidays and both family and friends are invited over, even for the most intimate of events. I’ll make sure our games are all organized in the game closet (with their necessary pieces) or I’ll pick up a few games last minute from Target. In the family room, I’ll wash and fluff blankets in case it gets late into the night and someone wants to wrap up. The small things like that add up and are reminders to your guests that you really care. Candles are unpackaged and wicks are cut already…. again, everything ahead of time.

*In years past, we’ve hosted larger parties during the holidays and I always order monogrammed cocktail napkins and small plastic cups. I bring these out even for my smaller events because there’s always someone who wants some spiked eggnog or a cookie and they’re the perfect addition after dinner without looking drastically different from your formal table setting.

I enjoy preparing all of these last-minute details but in case you don’t, I suggest taking everything one step at a time. Write a to-do list that you can add to throughout the week and just cross off all of your finished items. Group tasks together by areas in your home, and don’t be afraid to tackle each room on a separate day. There’s still plenty of time to do some last minute shopping, decorating, gift wrapping, or even home prep.

We’ll talk mid-week to finalize some last minute details, so while we’re on No. 8, there’s still a bit more to come.