Holi is definitely in my top 5 list of favorite holidays.

For those who may not know, the Indian festival of Holi, also known as The Festival of Colors, is held every year, somewhere between late February and mid-March. 

It commemorates the end of winter and the beginning of Spring, with revelers throwing colored powder at each other.

Even when the actual holiday is over, celebrations can go on up to a month later, so it may not be too late to find one near you.

Read on for 8 tips to make this your best Holi yet:

Bring Towels or Sheets for Your Car

Line your front entryway (or however you enter your home) with old sheets or towels that can act as a drop zone for your bags, shoes etc. Trust me, it will ALL get covered with color!

While colored powder used for Holi does wash off, it can be a pain to have to wipe or scrub it off of multiple surfaces. It’s just easier to prevent the cleanup in the first place, especially with young kids.

Plan to Eat Before or Well After the Celebration

Depending on when your Holi celebration will take place, it’s always a good idea to have a meal either before you go, or plan to eat once you’re back home (and showered). Don’t plan to eat snacks while throwing color. Like I said, it gets everywhere!

Bring Your Own Color

Many Holi celebrations provide color, either for free or for purchase. We have been to both types, but the common problem seems to be that the packets of color run out very quickly and sometimes you may not get any. We have always bought our own color, which are available at most Indian grocery shops. Make sure whether your venue allows outside color or not beforehand.

Wear Sunglasses to Protect Your Eyes

This is really important, and can make or break your experience. Getting color on your clothes is fun, but color in your eyes? Not so much. This is especially good to remember for young kids.

Protect Your Phone

You will definitely want to capture the colorful moments of Holi, but your phone will suffer without some kind of protection. This can be as simple as putting your phone in a resealable bag. Otherwise, the colored powder can find its way into the phone ports, and can cause problems later on–I learned this awhile ago the hard way!

Wear Solid Neutrals Like White or Black

Theres’s no point in going to Holi unless the colors show up well on your clothes! Wearing white is the best option, but black works too. Avoid other colored shirts and pants as colors may not show up as well. One thing i’ve seen some people do is wear tie-dyed clothing, which can be a fun way to enhance the color from the powder.

Don’t Mix Your Colors

Rookie mistake #1: Don’t ever mix colors together in one bag, thinking you’ll get some cool new shade. It all ends up as a boring brown and will be no good at this colorful celebration! Same goes for rubbing any powder around on your clothes that lands on you. Once the colors combine, the bold, saturated hues that each color brings will get lost.

Take a Shower and Wash Your Clothes as Soon as You Get Home

Once you are ready to leave, get in your car, sit on aforementioned towels or sheets, and take a shower as soon as you get home. You might be surprised at how much color ends up on you, but I promise, it all washes out. Same goes for your clothing–remember to toss your clothes in the washing machine as soon as you can, so the colors don’t set in the fabric.

I hope these tips prove useful when you celebrate Holi next time.  Holi is a fun and vibrant way to welcome Spring, by coloring and being colored!