December has a way of making your house feel almost ready… until you pull something out of storage.
Guest sheets that smell like a closet. Towels that look clean but don’t feel fresh. A tablecloth that’s “fine” until the light hits it. The throw blankets and holiday pillow covers that somehow picked up a whole year of dust while they were folded away.
The good news: you don’t need to deep-clean your entire home to feel prepared for guests.
You just need a quick holiday laundry reset — the fabric stuff people touch and notice the minute they walk in.
The laundry that quietly sets the tone
When guests come over, they might not notice your counters.
They will notice:
the bed they’re sleeping in
the towel they grab
the blanket they use on the couch
the table linens everything is sitting on
That’s why holiday laundry feels different than normal laundry. It’s less about outfits… and more about comfort.
Start with the “guest touchpoints”
If you do nothing else, make these fresh:
Guest bedding: Sheets and pillowcases do the heavy lifting here. Even if they’ve been folded away, they usually need a refresh after sitting in storage.
Towels + bath mats: Towels hold onto smells and “storage air” more than people think. Fresh towels instantly make a bathroom feel cleaner.
Couch throws: That one blanket everyone grabs? It’s basically the unofficial welcome mat.
These three alone can make your home feel completely different.
Table linens: the fastest upgrade you can make
Holiday meals don’t need to be fancy to feel special. Clean table linens make even a simple dinner feel intentional.
If you’re using:
tablecloths
runners
cloth napkins
…washing them early saves you from that last-minute scramble when you suddenly remember them the night before guests arrive.
Don’t forget the washable holiday décor
A lot of holiday décor is fabric, which means it collects dust and holds onto storage smells.
Common culprits:
tree skirt
stockings
holiday pillow covers
seasonal throws
If it comes out of a bin once a year and ends up near people (or food), it’s worth refreshing.
The simplest way to avoid the “night before” panic
Instead of trying to do everything, pick one category at a time:
Guest bedding first (biggest impact)
Towels second (instant “clean home” feeling)
Throws + décor third (the cozy finishing touch)
Table linens whenever you can (future-you will be grateful)
You don’t need perfection. You just need your home to feel fresh when it matters.
Want the easy button this month?
If you’d rather not spend your holiday season dealing with bulky loads and “stored fabric” laundry, our holiday promo is still active:
30 lbs for $30
Use code: GIFT2025
It’s perfect for guest bedding, towels, linens, and the stuff you need clean before people come over. (Promo ends 1/5/26)
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