The holiday season is upon us, and that means holiday festivities, hosting and family coming in from out of town—all exciting things! Unfortunately, family members may not be the only visitors you’ll have in your home during the holiday season. Pests are known for disturbing holiday plans as they make their way inside people’s homes to overwinter. Now is the time to pest-proof your home. Here are some tips:

Make Sure They Can’t Get In

First and foremost, make sure pests can’t get inside. Although it may feel like it sometimes, pests don’t appear out of nowhere. They squeeze in through tiny gaps and cracks in your home’s exterior. Take some time to check for openings around your home, and if there are any, seal them up. You can use caulk, weatherstripping and mesh to close off entry points. Make sure to check around windows, doors, pipes and your home’s foundation.

Be Smart When Storing Decorations

When holiday time approaches, the first thing we often want to do is decorate. But many of us don’t take the time to check our decorations and storage boxes for pests. When you think about it, it makes sense that we may find pests in our decorations. They’re left untouched all year in undisturbed storage areas. This combination is a pest’s paradise. Before you bring your decorations inside, do a quick check for signs of pests, like droppings or nesting material. When you take down your decorations and store them for next year, use airtight plastic bins, as cardboard is an attractant for many types of pests.

Maintain Your Yard

Decorating for the holidays doesn’t just happen inside; it happens outside, as well. As you prepare to decorate your yard with lights and festive displays, take time to trim back branches and shrubs. Even though the greenery may be dead, insects and critters can still use branches as a bridge to get into your home. The same is true for firewood. Cockroaches, spiders and even rodents often hide in firewood because it provides good shelter. If you have piles of firewood stacked near your home, this can be a one-way ticket to inviting pests inside. Keep firewood off the ground and away from your home. When you bring it inside, knock off any pests that may be lurking.

Avoid Picking Up Any Hitchhikers

The holidays are all about family. Once you’ve sealed entry points, tidied up the yard and decorated, it’s time to invite family and friends to stay! Unfortunately, with all of the winter travel, it’s common for people to pick up unwanted hitchhikers (a.k.a. bed bugs) along the way. Bed bugs never buy a plane ticket, but they still end up boarding because they hop on people’s clothes and suitcases. When your family arrives at your home, help them inspect their luggage and clothes for signs of bed bugs before they bring their stuff inside. If you do see signs, take the proper steps to ensure a full-blown infestation doesn’t break out in your home.

Don’t Provide a Holiday Feast for Pests

After decorating and welcoming our guests, we usually move on to preparing our favorite holiday foods and desserts. Just like us, pests love a good holiday feast. Make sure not to provide any food sources this season by storing leftovers and treats in airtight containers, and by cleaning up crumbs and spills. After everyone is done eating, don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink or trash piling up in the garbage can. Pests aren’t picky; they don’t mind feasting on our food remnants or trash.

The best way to prevent pests from crashing your holiday parties is to have a trusted pest control team by your side. Put Pro-Staff, the trusted pest control experts in Omaha, on your pest control home team by calling us at (402) 819-7378 or contacting us online!