HOW TO GET YOUR HOME READY FOR DIWALI
Diwali is celebrated with pomp and grandeur around the country and it is a time when our homes are flooded with friends and relatives. Getting your home ready a few weeks prior to Diwali is essential to avoid any last minute rush before the day of the festival itself. Here are some tips to get your home ready for Diwali:
● DECLUTTER AND DEEP CLEAN
Organising and arranging can transform a place almost quickly and make it appear presentable. Begin by clearing and organising the most visible areas. After organising the whole place, you will be able to notice dirt and dust accumulated. Start cleaning even the hard-to-reach areas. Remember to check the tops of cabinets, behind furniture, behind cabinets, above light bulbs, clocks, artwork, and switchboards. Spray room freshner or light scented candles for spreading good aroma all over the house.
● LIGHTS
Diwali being the festival of lights, lighting is the most important aspect of getting your house ready for Diwali. Make use of lights at various levels and heights. You need not stick to the traditional route and place diyas alone. You can also add fairy lights or candles or even make your own lampshades. Hanging paper lanterns in the corners of the rooms is another innovative idea for lighting. Your home’s entrance should set the tone for the celebration so that your guests are eager to celebrate as soon as they walk in. Therefore, keep diyas, lights, and candles in the hall, or thread fairy lights to create a welcome atmosphere. You can get creative with where you place your lights and by having different variations of lights.
● DECORATIONS
Apart from lights, other decorations are also important to make your house look more lively. After putting the furniture or furnishing items in place, it’s now time for decorations like flowers and rangoli. The whole family can pitch in to give ideas and help in decorating. Flowers provide a sense of liveliness and freshness to your home when arranged as garlands or in vases or pots. Whether you use flowers as a centrepiece or hang garlands on your entrances, they always help to create a more welcome ambiance. You can also place flowers in urulis filled with water as decorations. Rangolis are a staple in nearly every Indian home. Colorful and vibrant rangolis made with diyas and flower petals are always a visual delight. It also creates an upbeat and happy mood.
● POOJA ROOM
During Diwali, the pooja room is considered as the center of all the celebrations and therefore, it requires extra attention. Decorate every nook and corner of your pooja room, whether it’s a large or little. You can get antique lamps to arrange in the room and add flowers and diyas surrounding it.
● KITCHEN
You’ll be entertaining a large number of guests and cooking delicious Diwali food, so your kitchen will require a complete cleaning. Begin by getting rid of any outdated or expired products, as well as any vessels or tools that are no longer in use. Warm water combined with a disinfectant and a clean towel can be used to clean the shelves. Clean with a dry towel once everything has been wiped. Labeling your goods will help you organise them and make them simpler to find. Keep goods you don’t use very often towards the back or at the top of the shelf. To store mugs, cups, and trinkets, use hooks, organisers, and racks. Remove everything from your fridge and scrub it with vinegar and a clean towel to clean it. Organize your pantry and crockery if you have open shelves in your kitchen. Give your sink a good cleaning as well.
● LIVING ROOM
The living room, being one of the most utilised rooms in the house, is prone to become crowded and dirty quickly. Begin by getting rid of whatever you don’t need. Gather any items that are out of place, such as toys, books, video games, documents, and so on, and return everything to its proper place. Drapes, curtains, and blinds should all be taken down and washed. Window cleaning is required on both the inside and exterior of the windows. Clean important surfaces such as the coffee table, TV, and bookshelf with a slightly wet cloth. Dust and clean your ceiling fan to avoid dust falling on your visitors. Using a vacuum, clean lampshades, lamps, frames, and ornamental objects.
● PAINT AND TOUCH UP.
A fresh coat of paint can make a dramatic change to a house. It is also. not as difficult or time-consuming as one might assume. If you have noy painted your entire house before Diwali, concentrate on a tiny important location or a piece of furniture that you believe will stand out following a paint job. Give your old showcase or bookshelves a new life with a fresh colour for a simple makeover. Painting the insides of the shelf a different colour than the outside would not only give depth, but also a lot of flair.
● DON’T OVERDO IT
While decorating is essential for Diwali, it does not necessarily mean that you have to go all out. Warm, cosy, and simple cam also be festive. At the end of the day, it’s all about enjoying each other’s company. Make a basic plan and be resourceful with what you have. For example, arranging colourful fruits on a dish or using a saree as a tablecloth.
● FIRST AID
Diwali is a festival where there is fire all around like crackers, diyas, candles, etc. This is a crucial point that we often overlook. When lighting diyas and candles, or There is a high possibility that someone can get burned or hurt. A first aid kit should be kept in an immediately accessible place in case the children or other family members become injured.
