Tips for hosting first Christmas in a new house from Long Island experts

Linda Cirigliano is planning a big holiday bash in her new Glen Cove home this month — she just has to move in first.

"We're moving in at the beginning of December," said Cirigliano, 54, who runs her own construction company. "So it's going to be a mad rush to make it all happen, but we're excited to make it happen."

This house checked all the boxes for her, she said: "It’s on a beautiful street, right around the corner from where I grew up."

Cirigliano purchased her first home, a four-bed, 1½-bath, for $885,000. She and her boyfriend, Louis Chibbaro, have been moving their belongings over slowly from their rental in Locust Valley.

They’re thrilled to finally have a home to host guests — the couple loves to entertain, she said.

"We’re not going to unpack everything all at once," said Cirigliano. "We’ll do it step by step, and just really enjoy the process."

Plenty of new homeowners on Long Island are preparing to invite family and friends over for the holidays for the first time. There’s a lot to think about: Buying and arranging furniture, considering renovations, ensuring that kitchen appliances and the plumbing system are up to par, and, of course, decorating. Local experts say first-time homeowners may be feeling the pressure from the countdown to the holidays, but should just take it one step at a time.

Staying organized

Before Santa Claus — or your family and friends — arrive this season, Leah Tozer recommends decluttering your home. It can be helpful leading into the winter months, and even therapeutic, she said.

"It actually helps people to organize a little bit better," said Tozer, a broker with Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty and based in Long Beach. "I tell people to use see-through bins, so you know what you have, instead of putting things away and forgetting."

Calling in the help of a professional decluttering service can be beneficial during the busy holiday season, she added — especially for first-time homebuyers that are newlywed couples, and may be starting to unbox gifts from their registry.

"When you first get a home, people usually want to show people around," Tozer said. "You’ll want to make sure everything is clean and set up, so you can enjoy your time with friends and family."

Phil DePaul is CEO of BoomZeal Enterprises Inc., an organization that runs Long Island-based home service companies including 1-Tom-Plumber and Low Price Junk Removal. To store decorations and the extra tables and chairs that may be necessary for guests, every bit of space counts, he said.

"You’ll need some addition by subtraction by moving on from some things that are in the way," DePaul said.

Cirigliano plans to maximize the open space in her house for her holiday party. She's keeping boxes in the basement, and will unpack just enough to set up the "first layer" of their new home, she said.

"We’re holding off on buying furniture," said Cirigliano. "So we’ll have more space for people to come dance and have a good time."

As far as welcoming guests to your new neighborhood, staying on top of logistics is another key to success, said Tozer — for instance, new homeowners may not be too familiar with their street yet.

"Make sure that people will have parking," she said. "Check to see what’s going on outside your house. Everybody always focuses on the inside, so it’s good to take a walk around your property."

Renovation in moderation

Try not to get too stressed out. Try and organize as much as you can, as early as you can. And outsource as much as possible.

— Leah Tozer, real estate agent with Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty

The holidays can be overwhelming for anyone hosting, let alone Long Islanders who have gone from the closing table to the dining room table.

"Try not to get too stressed out," Tozer said. "Try and organize as much as you can, as early as you can. And outsource as much as possible."

This is especially true when it comes to the more daunting tasks of buying furniture or making interior renovations. There are plenty of local professionals who can step in to help.

Interior designer Chelsea Graham has been running her business, Ray George Interiors, for six years. Based on Long Island, she works with a mix of first-time homeowners and people relocating from a home in New York City to Nassau or Suffolk.

"The holiday season the past few years has been super busy for me," Graham said. "Most people who are planning their January, February or March renovation start now. So usually during the holidays, they start consulting with me for holiday decor and future renovations."

Tracy Clennon is a real estate agent with Compass, based in Locust Valley. Her background in renovation and design allows her to advise clients looking to take on major projects. For Long Islanders who have purchased older homes and may be eager to get to work, Clennon suggests establishing a timeline.

"Anything that does require some kind of work, I personally have phased things out in a way to accommodate and work around my family or any particular social things that might be coming up," she said.

And there’s no need to rush through a project before welcoming family and friends inside, she added.

"I’m very much into renovating, however if there is something that might not be perfect but you’re kind of making do and living with it, I would say hold off until after the holidays," Clennon said. "There's always a way to kind of make it feel like your own, as opposed to starting something and rushing through it to get it done in time for the holidays, and have it not be quite right."

Making a house feel like a home can be achieved on a smaller scale, such as by adding personalized touches throughout the home (for example, a new set of hand towels), Clennon said. Changing out certain fixtures can also make a home feel like your own, like getting a new toilet while waiting to redesign a bathroom entirely, she added.

"Paint goes a very long way, too," Clennon said. "You can even DIY it while you’re waiting for a larger undertaking."

While Cirigliano and Chibbaro move in, they’ve been working on cosmetic renovations such as painting and fixing up the floors. "We’ll continue a lot of that work after we move in," she said. "You know, everything with time."

Feeling out the furniture

I’m seeing a lot of new homeowners feeling like they need to do it all at once, and compromising quality for their tight budget.

— Chelsea Graham, owner of Ray George Interiors

Many first-time homeowners might feel pressured to make other big purchases as soon as they move in.

"I’m seeing a lot of new homeowners feeling like they need to do it all at once, and compromising quality for their tight budget," Graham said. "I think that is a mistake, and I think they should understand that you don't have to purchase every piece at once."

Graham recommends West Elm (in Huntington Station, with an outlet location in Riverhead), Crate and Barrel (Manhasset, also with an outlet in Riverhead) and HomeSense (several locations across Long Island) for furniture shopping. HomeSense is the most budget-friendly option of the three, Graham added.

"I’ve personally gone to HomeSense and I've had clients that have gone to HomeSense," she said. "The key is going multiple times a week because they update their inventory daily, and you can find quality, high-end furniture for a cheaper price."

No matter where you shop, Graham recommends always going to look at furniture in person before buying anything, so you can get a sense of the size and fabric quality.

One trend she’s spotted from her local clients: Reupholstering old family pieces, or finding furniture in vintage and antique stores. There are plenty of antique shops on Long Island with no shortage of furniture (for example, Remember Yesteryears in Oakdale).

This is Cirigliano’s specialty. Her new home was built in 1910, so she hopes to find furniture to match its aesthetic, she said.

"We tend to be antique vintage finders," said Cirigliano. "So I think we’re going to do a lot of hunting at various auction sites to find unique pieces. We’re not going to rush to buy a whole room at once; we’re going to try to create a medley of interesting pieces from different periods."

Assessing the appliances

Two rooms that will be getting more use than usual when guests are over for the holidays: the kitchen and bathroom.

"You want to make sure your facilities are working to the best of their ability," said DePaul.

New homeowners may not know about their underlying plumbing issues until it’s too late, so familiarizing yourself with the systems and knowing where the main water valve is (and how to shut it off) are important before the holiday rush.

"If you’re not accustomed to the history, whether there's been any kind of chronic issues or any recurring problems, then you’re not going to have contextual knowledge," he said.

DePaul said homeowners should use a drain cleaner and test all of the systems in the bathroom the week before guests arrive. If you spot even a small issue during this time, call in a pro — 24/7 companies may charge a premium for holiday service, DePaul added.

"With toilets in general, whether it’s the flushing power, tanks, flappers or fill valves, those things might get more than their ordinary use," he said. "So if you’re having a pesky issue right now where you have to jiggle it or open the tank sometimes in order to make it work, you might want to permanently resolve that Band-Aid situation before you have family over."

As for the kitchen, David Oliva’s advice is simple.

"Do not run the self-clean cycle on your oven right before a party," said Oliva, president of RD Appliance Service in Plainview. "It puts so much stress on everything, because it gets so hot. If anything is going to break, that’s when it’s going to break. And it will ruin your party because you may not be able to get someone out there to fix it in time."

Oliva recommends running the self-clean oven cycle about a month before a big party. In general, cooking appliances don’t require a lot of maintenance, he said — just clean the filters in your dishwasher and make sure not to overload your oven or refrigerator.

And of course, listen for any unusual noises.

"A common one would be a clicking noise, which could indicate a problem with the fan motor in your freezer," Oliva said. "A loud humming could also indicate a problem with the fan, which is one of the more common issues that could tell you it’s working, but it may not work for too much longer."

And taking note of these issues before welcoming friends and family will make it less stressful on yourself, DePaul and Oliva agree — 'tis the season for service calls.

"For appliances, you want to make sure everything is maintained properly as far in advance of a party as possible, in case you run into some problems," said Oliva. "It’s very busy for service companies during the holiday season, so if you get somebody out there and parts need to be ordered, there could be a delay in those parts that might not get back to you until after the holiday."

Dress for success

Growing up, our house was just amazing. We always had our doors open ... I’m very excited to provide that for all the people I love, that’s truly what I’m most excited about.

— Linda Cirigliano, new homeowner in Glen Cove

Saul Gallenero and his family moved into their Elmhurst co-op last year, after living in their Elmont home for more than a decade. Now that he’s downsized, he’s getting creative while figuring out where to place their yearly festive decorations.

"We have a big, old Christmas tree that we used to put in our house," said Gallenero, 52, a high school teacher. "Since we are in a co-op building, I asked the super if I could put our Christmas tree in the front door, for when people come inside."

Gallenero is also planning to hang a wreath on his door and place some red and green flowers on his table. He’s still figuring out a place for his strings of twinkling lights, usually featured on the exterior of his home.

Using natural elements from local florists to create decorations yourself is a cost-saving, personalized way to decorate your new home, Graham said.

"Garlands, wreaths, some centerpieces made from pine or eucalyptus," she said. "And you can use dried fruit, which is nice for the holiday season."

Creating a layered effect with lighting can also make a home feel more festive, she added. "String lights, candles, lanterns: Those will create a very warm ambiance."

Cirigliano makes her own garlands from leaves she collects herself. That, combined with family heirlooms and decorations she grew up with, will complete the picture for her first holiday season in her new home.

"Growing up, our house was just amazing," she remembered. "We always had our doors open. People always loved to come over; there was always music playing and food cooking, and it was a very beautiful feeling. I’m very excited to provide that for all the people I love."

By Rachel Weiss

rachel.weiss@newsday.com@RachMWeiss

Rachel Weiss joined Newsday in 2016. As a real estate/living multimedia reporter, Rachel writes feature stories and contributes to and appears in on-camera video packages. She was the lead reporter on Newsday’s LI Acts of Kindness series.