Get your home Tihar ready

Tihar is less than a week away and it’s best to get a head start on all the cleaning and organizing lest you find yourself overburdened and thus unable to enjoy the festivities. Most of us wait for Laxmi Puja or a day before to get our homes in order. We are doing chores till the last minute and that way we miss out on the fun as we are tired and just want to get things over with. This year, start early and ensure you have enough time to meet friends and family, enjoy a good meal or two, and make memories to last a lifetime, all without collapsing on your bed at the end of the day.

Tackle the difficult tasks

This weekend, tackle chores that you haven’t paid attention to in a while. Air out your cupboards and clean the shoe cabinets. These places can gather dust and odd smells and airing them out will instantly make your space feel cleaner and fresher. Add some air freshener sachets when you are done. While you are at it, see if there are things—clothes, shoes, accessories—you haven’t used in a while that you would like to give away and put them away in bags and boxes. You can drop them at charity centers like the Sukhawati Store before Tihar for a tidier space.

Deep clean your kitchen equipment

Did you come across some great tricks to clean the microwave or the refrigerator on Instagram? You saved the reel but never actually got around to trying them out? Tihar is the perfect time to do a deep clean of things you use regularly but don’t clean as often, like the oven, washing machine, toaster, etc. Make a list of things you need to clean and tackle a couple each day till Tihar. This way you won’t have to spend too much time on the chores and will also have a cleaner space when it’s finally festival time. Ask your siblings or partner for help.

Give things a fresh coat of paint

Everyone in the city tends to paint their flowerpots during Dashain or Tihar. If you haven’t gotten around to it yet, now is the perfect time. The weather is just right. Getting flower pots painted is the easiest way to make your home festival ready as it infuses a bright, cheery feel to your space. While you are at it, take a look at what else needs a facelift. Perhaps your front door needs a good polish or the compound walls are looking a little drab. Invest in some paint and roller brushes and work those muscles. This actually makes for a fun family activity.

Get out the festive décor and light

It’s not unusual to wait for the last possible minute to hang the Tihar lights. But why not take a cue from the city which is already lit up in many places and bring out the string lights and lanterns at home a few days before Laxmi Puja? That way you won’t be scrabbling to fix them when it’s actually time and will also get to enjoy the festive feel for a few extra days. Give your puja vessels a good wash or wipe down during the weekend and keep them ready. Also, display whatever festive décor items you have at home well in advance so that your home exudes the Tihar vibe all week long.

Buy yourself some flowers

A bunch of flowers in a vase is one of the easiest ways to lend opulence to your living space. If you are someone who doesn’t splurge on flowers, the festival of lights is the perfect excuse to give into this simple luxury. Buy a bunch and watch your space come alive. You can also use garlands to decorate staircases and entryways. Put some flowers and floating candles in large urns and enjoy the simple, satisfying feeling of a cozy night at home.