12 Days of Home Fixes: Quick Projects That Make a Big Difference
Holiday music is playing, the decorations are up, and your calendar is filling fast. But before guests arrive and the festivities begin, there’s still time to give your home a little extra love.
To make it easy, our UPKEEP home experts have rounded up 12 small fixes that can make a big impact on comfort, safety, and style this season.
Day 1: Silence Those Squeaky Doors
Don’t let squealing doors interrupt your cozy holiday vibes. Lubricate hinges, adjust alignments, and fix sticking doors so everything opens smoothly.
Day 2: Replace Outdated or Dim Light Fixtures
Lighting sets the mood for the whole home. Swapping outdated fixtures or upgrading to brighter, energy-efficient options can instantly modernize a room and make it perfect for hosting.
Day 3: Patch and Repair Small Drywall Dings
From moving furniture to energetic pets, walls take a beating all year. Our local home repair partners at Mister Fix-It can patch dents, cracks, and nail holes so your home looks polished before guests arrive.
Day 4: Refresh Rooms with Touch-Up Paint
A little paint goes a long way. Touch-ups make spaces feel cleaner and newer, and they’re especially helpful in high-traffic areas like entryways and hallways.
Day 5: Tighten or Replace Loose Cabinet Hardware
Loose knobs or handles are small annoyances that add up. Tighten hardware or install new pulls in your kitchen and bathroom for a quick, budget-friendly refresh.
Day 6: Fix Wobbly Furniture and Fixtures
Unstable tables, leaning bookshelves, and shaky handrails aren’t just inconvenient, they’re unsafe. A quick adjustment ensures everything is sturdy and secure for holiday guests.
Day 7: Improve Bathroom Functionality
Small changes like fixing a running toilet, replacing a leaky faucet, or re-caulking the tub can make your bathroom feel cleaner and work better for visiting family and friends.
Bonus Tip: Get a home warranty through UPKEEP and never worry about things like this again. Repairs, maintenance, and replacements are covered for your home’s appliances and systems, including plumbing. Learn more here.
Day 8: Weatherproof Doors and Windows
Drafts make your home colder and your energy bills higher. Add weatherstripping, seal gaps, and keep your home and your guests cozy and warm throughout the winter season.
Day 9: Install New Shelving or Storage
Holiday clutter happens fast. Adding a few shelves or organizing systems helps keep everything tidy and makes your home more functional for the season and beyond.
Day 10: Upgrade Outlets and Switch Plates
Cracked or discolored outlets and faceplates age a home instantly. Swapping them out restores a clean, finished look. Install USB outlets for added convenience!
Day 11: Refresh the Entryway
Make a great first impression by tightening loose railings, fixing sticky locks, replacing exterior bulbs, or repairing scuffed trim. Small details matter when guests come calling.
Day 12: Create a Holiday-Ready Space
Choosing holiday decor that suits your home is all about complementing the style, size, and colors you already have. Instead of trying to reinvent your space, look for decorations that enhance it, whether that means sticking with warm neutrals for a cozy, rustic home or adding pops of metallics to match a more modern style. Keep scale in mind, too: oversized decor can overwhelm small rooms, while tiny pieces can get lost in larger spaces.
With the right choices, your holiday decorations will feel intentional, inviting, and perfectly suited to your home’s unique personality.
Happy Holidays from the UPKEEP family to yours.
From all of us at UPKEEP, we wish you a joyful, relaxing, and wonderfully bright holiday season. Whether you’re hosting loved ones, traveling, or simply enjoying the comfort of home, we hope this time of year brings you peace, warmth, and memorable moments.
Thank you for trusting us to help protect your home. We look forward to supporting you throughout the new year!
NEXT UP: Winter Home Maintenance: How to Prepare Your House for a Saint Louis Winter