Holiday home exchange has become very popular, thanks to the 2006 romantic comedy, “The Holiday.” In the movie, the characters of Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet go through a trying period in their lives and decide to travel abroad for the holidays, immediately ending up swapping homes for two weeks with the help of an online home exchange site.
In reality, exchanging homes during the holidays isn’t that easy, because there’s always much to do before a holiday. Departure time would likely loom near and you’d have done nothing much in the way of decorating, snow shoveling and the like, unless you’ve started fixing up everything months before—which isn’t possible. When you’re pressed for time to prepare your property for a holiday swap, you can ask help from landscape and lawn care professionals who offer winter arrangements and snow removal in Hamilton, such as Green Collar Landscaping.
Clearing the Driveway
About.com contributor David Beaulieu mentioned that in most places, it’s not advisable to leave even just a small amount of snow in the driveway unshoveled. The snow might melt during a temperature rise and freeze again when the temp lowers, making the driveway slippery and dangerous for your house guests. Have your Hamilton snow removal service provider shovel the snow as soon as it can but leave two areas for last, according to Beaulieu. An excerpt from his article has more:
- Don’t fuss about the rest of the snow around the car just yet. More snow will accumulate there when you clean the car, so you might as well wait till then to clean up around the perimeter of the car.
- Hold off on snow shoveling (with any degree of thoroughness) where your driveway meets the street. As plows go by, they’ll be barricading that area with more snow. Save this area till you’re ready to pull out with your car (or till after you’ve rested up).
Natural Holiday Decorations
Putting up natural holiday decorations in your porch, lawn or the pathway leading to the front door would be a nice touch to welcome the temporary occupants of your home. Instead of the usual Christmas tree, you may find alternative plants like boxwood topiaries that you can accent with candied berries and a ribbon made from natural materials. Place this around the doorway for maximum impact; you may hang a tree cutting design on the door as well.
Exchanging homes during winter holidays is an exciting experience you and your family will no doubt look forward to. Before you hie off to your vacation, make sure your home is clean and ready for your swap visitor, bedecked with accents, and free from any winter hazards.
(Source: “Snow Shoveling Tips”, About.com)