#1: Weatherproof your windows in style
If you’re having guests for the holidays, chilly drafts that will give your guests cold feet (literally!) are the last things you want to worry about. So, before hosting your friends and family this year, you’ll want to be sure to weatherproof drafty windows to keep out the wintry air.
Maybe you’re wondering how caulk, weatherstripping, or foam insulation will bring any type of holiday cheer to your mobile home. Indeed, while many of these methods are practical, they’re not exactly decorative. This year, you’ll need to think outside the box a little bit.
Step 1: Applying decorative window films
You can buy decorative window films online, or you can purchase materials to create DIY window decals. The DIY process is simple and provides beautiful results. Using a type of decorative film designed to cling to your window pane, you can create cutouts of your favorite holiday shapes, such as ornaments or gifts. Your decals are even reusable – they’ll peel off the glass with ease, and you can store them away for next year.
At this point, you might be thinking, “Okay, these decals are gorgeous, but they aren’t going to keep my home warm!” Well, there’s more! Now that you’ve given your mobile home’s windows a holiday makeover, you can move on to the practical part of your project: insulating your windows with plastic shrinkwrap.
Step 2: Using window insulation kits
Window films designed to insulate your windows are a little different than decorative films. The plastic shrinkwrap found within window insulation kits will cover your entire window, effectively insulating your home from the cold outside air. You’ll secure the plastic film to the window frame using double-sided tape, and then use a hairdryer to straighten out the wrinkles and help create a seal. A thorough tutorial is helpful to guide the process from beginning to end.
Why do this?
“But why should I take the trouble to do both?” you may be asking. Unfortunately, plastic film insulation isn’t usually attractive. However, if you take the time to apply some holiday decals to your window panes before insulating your windows, the decals will be visible through the transparent shrinkwrap, and you’ll be weatherproofed in style this holiday season!
#2: What happens if kitchen appliances break?
Imagine this scenario: Christmas dinner is a few hours away, and you’re hosting about ten people. You’ve got a ton of food in your oven, but it’s not fully cooked yet. All of a sudden, the oven starts cooling off. You realize that your stove has quit working. What now?
Option 1: Use your crockpot
Maybe you’ve got a crockpot tucked away in your cabinet. You can use your crockpot for meat, vegetables, or potatoes that were in your oven, if you like.
Option 2: Put a new spin on Christmas dinner
Got an outdoor grill? Give your guests a whole new kind of Christmas dinner this year by cooking your meat and vegetables on the grill. There’s nothing wrong with a few good holiday shish kabobs! This Christmas dinner will go down in history.
Option 3: Make a trip to your local deli
Sometimes, a grocery store deli will roast your meat for you. If you have time, run down to a nearby deli and ask if they can help you out. You might be able to buy ready-made mashed potatoes at your deli as well.
What about other appliances?
Suppose your stand mixer breaks while you’re in the middle of creating your favorite mashed potato recipe. The delicious ingredients are all there – boiled potatoes, butter, cream cheese – but they still need a good blending. What you need in this situation is a wafflehead potato masher. This tool is perfect for working the lumps out of your potatoes and mixing all your ingredients together. If you don’t already have one, it’s definitely something you should add to your utensil drawer soon!
Of course, if you don’t own a wafflehead masher, you can simply use a fork or spoon to mix your mashed potatoes. However, it will take longer, and you’ll probably end up with more lumps left over in the end.
#3: Holiday hacks to make the most of your time
Like the rest of us, you probably love preparing for the holiday season. However, you know that holiday prep can be quite time-consuming. To spare yourself some frustration this year, you might consider utilizing these holiday hacks.
Cook ahead of time
Conserve time this year by doing some of your holiday cooking in advance and storing the food in your freezer. By doing so, you’ll reduce the amount of last-minute cooking you’ll be doing (you’ll also decrease the likelihood of being in a bind if your appliances quit on you at the wrong time!)
Use more than one cooking device
Your oven is only so big, and it’s going to fill up fast. So, if you have an oven and a crockpot, then go ahead and use both of them to cook your holiday meal. Rather than waiting for your stuffing and baked potatoes to get done before you cook your ham, you can cook both at once!
Have a fun-filled holiday season!
Rather than letting stress and frustration get the better of you, take advantage of these clever holiday hacks this year so that you can enjoy yourself with the people you love. Ideally, you’ll be able to free up more time and energy to spend on hosting your family and friends this year! Your guests are sure to love the relaxed feel that your home will provide during the holidays.
