Getting your home ready for the holidays

For many, myself included, the upcoming holidays mean decorating, cleaning, shopping and entertaining. But the festive season can also motivate people to tackle maintenance and decor tasks before family and friends come to visit (read up on how to create the perfect guest room here).

In last week's poll, 13 per cent of Yourhome readers said they planned to complete some repairs around the house before the holidays, while 32 per cent said they aim to complete renovations and an ambitious 10 per cent said they would be doing both. The remaining 45 per cent said they have no pre-holiday home improvement plans.

Personally, I'll be doing some repairs —  fixing things like my drippy sink, which probably should be done anyway — before I go away for the holidays, but I'll be saving any painting or other work for a less stressful time of year.

For inspiration on working to a deadline, check out our Room For Improvement series, where writer Denise Holtby and her husband are documenting their efforts to complete a full bathroom renovation in two months.

And, be sure to vote in this week's poll, which asks when you start decorating for the holidays. Do you take a cue from the shops and pin up your holly besides ghouls and goblins? Or do you wait for December to polish up the ornaments?