Have you been procrastinating on home improvements? With the holidays coming up, guests will be visiting your home and you want it to impress!

Whether you have additional time off from work or not, holidays can be a great time to catch up on  home improvement projects. If you’ll have guests over this holiday season, why not take this time to put some effort into creating a welcoming space for your family and friends.

1. Kitchen Appliance Upgrade Ready to get those new kitchen appliances you’ve been dreaming about? Now may be the perfect time to upgrade to your dream kitchen before the holidays. Could there be anything worse than being in the middle of cooking dinner for your guests with only one oven available? Think about upgrading to a double oven to save cooking time. Remember, don’t limit this just to your oven, make sure your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer or any other appliances are working properly before you host a holiday dinner.

Keep in mind, Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be a good time to do some research on upgrading your appliances, as many retailers offer unique sales. This could also be a great opportunity to make your home more energy efficient. New appliances may not seem like a necessity until your old appliances give out, but if you are looking to make your home more energy efficient, the holidays are a great time to start thinking about taking advantage of the great appliance deals.

2. Upgraded Furniture. If you’ve resisted hosting holiday events because your furniture has passed its prime, consider upgrading so you’re proud to have guests in your home. Make sure your new items are attractive, comfortable and functional. Consider investing in a new sectional couch or dining room table and chairs. Having enough space for your guests to sit, relax, converse and enjoy themselves is a must for hosting a great holiday get together.

3. Redecorate In some instances, a fresh coat of paint on a couple of walls can brighten your entertaining space. In other circumstances, it may be replacing a floor rug that you currently have in your family or living room. With minimal efforts, it can feel like a whole new room for you and your guests when the time comes to celebrate.

4. Stay WarmIf you don’t have one already, installing an electric fireplace, stove heater, or wood burner can really get you into the holiday spirit. There’s nothing like sitting around the fire on a cold holiday morning – or evening – exchanging presents and having a great time with your loved ones.

5. Backyard Renovation Unless it’s raining or snowing, there’s a good chance your guests will eventually work their way outside during holiday gatherings. Building a new outdoor deck or even upgrading the one that you have now with new patio furniture, will help with any socializing that may occur in your gathering area. Updating your landscaping in your backyard or even the front yard, may help boost your property value, which not only makes it a great project to awe your guests but also a great investment in the end.

Most of these projects can be completed in just a few days. Give your home a facelift when preparing for the upcoming holidays. For the bigger renovation projects, find out how your home equity can be used to finance home improvements with a Cash Out Refinance from New American Funding.