Don’t let the freezing temperature and the two-toned outdoor palette of the winter season dampen your holidays. You can create a warm and welcoming home where your family and friends can hang out with just a few accents in each room of the house. Re-modeling and refurnishing is not required, a simple change of carpet, curtains and room accents can do the trick.

A Holiday theme in the living room or den can be done by matching curtains, throw pillows and table center piece with a Christmas theme. The fireplace area can be garnished with simple garlands and Christmas lights or a combination of Christmas family pictures and souvenirs in varying sizes and, of course, the traditional Christmas stockings on the chimney wall. The pottery barn has a good selection of home accessories that you can choose from.

The warmth of the living room can extend to the dining room with holiday themed table runners, plant or garland centerpiece and winter candles. Compliment the table setting with napkins and placemat and serving dishes that match. The White Company has simple but elegant winter candles that add a touch of class to your décor.

Accentuate your kitchen with utilitarian decorations like dish rags, mittens and potholders with holiday themes. Your bathroom can also have some holiday character with a Christmas wreath on the door, various shaped soaps, and Winter Botanical Candle that brings the scent of cinnamon sticks, red berries and orange slices in your bathroom.

Decorating you home for the holiday can be really fun especially if you have someone to help you. Just don’t get carried away with the accents and decors lest your home would look like a store showroom.

Have you ever wondered why Tarzan has so much energy that he’s able to swing from branch to branch with the ease of a flying trapeze? One of the factors which highly contribute to his unabated stamina is his closeness to nature. Living and breathing amidst all that foliage and greenery helps Tarzan rest well and regain his strength.

For us city-dwellers though, the closest we can possibly get to living in natural surroundings would have to be wood flooring. If your home happens to be constructed with hardwood flooring, you should take the time to keep it looking like a million bucks.

Here’s what you can do to keep it in tiptop shape:

Keep it clean. You’d definitely want to take care of the wood on your floors by keeping dirt and grit at bay. They harm your floors by causing scratches, dents and undesirable dulling. To prevent this, put floor mats at entrances to trap dirt.

Sweep it Regular cleaning will keep your hardwood floors in good, reality-TV-show-worthy condition. Use a broom with fine ends to trap dust. A dust mop and a special dust mop treatment also do the trick. Simply spray the treatment onto the mop head a good 12 to 24 hours prior to dust mopping. If you opt to suck all the dirt from your wooden floors, you can use a canister vacuum with special bare floor attachments.

Keep it dry -Water which has seeped into hardwood floors cause them to warp. This likewise damages the finish. Be sure to wipe off spills as they happen.

Keep it cool – Direct sunlight can discolor your hardwood floor. Keep curtains or blinds drawn to help filter out the sun’s rays.

Don’t scratch it. If you must move furniture around the house, be sure to lift them and not drag them.

Hardwood flooring is definitely a thing of beauty. It will bring you a lifetime of joy if you take good care of it.

Like a true friend, it will never let you down.