Quick Tips for Getting Your Home Guest-Ready
Are you having guests coming to your house this holiday season? Perhaps they are even arriving in the next couple of days!!!! If so, read on for some quick and easy things you can do now to make your time hosting run smoothly and carefree.
Starting at Thanksgiving we always have people in and out of our house for the holidays and that is just the way we like it: people coming for meals, some staying for a night, others flying in from far off places to stay for a week or more. Whether they are in our home for an hour or a month, we want our guests to feel at ease, comfortable, and most of all, cherished.
We want them to know that we have thought of them. That they weren’t an after thought or a burden to us but rather a guest who is valued and loved.
With that in mind, here is my tailored list of things you can do to make your guests feel extra special and loved:
Make Sure Your Closet Has Hangers
Think about it, when you go to someone’s house this time of year the first thing you are going to do is to take off your coat. So when your guests come into your home they don’t want to have to try to hang their coat in a huge mess of a closet with no hangers in sight.
Now is a great time to go through the closet, donate anything that isn’t being worn, and put all of the empty hangers in the middle of the rod so guests will easily be able to spot them.
If you don’t have any hangers or they aren’t looking too good you can stock up on some new ones. We personally love wooden hangers for the coat closet…they hold up really well, can handle bulky items like a dream, and look super sleek for guests.
These are the hangers that we have and love. We’ve been using the same wooden hangers for about the past 8 years.
Have an Extra Table
For one reason or another folding tables are necessary. Too many people around the table? Too much food to have at the table? Want to set up a drink station or a dessert bar? Need somewhere to place all of those well-decorated sugar cookies? These are all ways that I have used our folding table throughout the holidays. If you don’t have one, it’s always a practical item to ask for for Christmas.
Invest in Towels
We have our every day towels but we keep our guest towels in the guest room so that they are saved for the guests. I opted to purchase white Ralph Lauren towels for our guests and so far they have lasted us 16 years. I highly recommend buying high quality towels that will absorb water and will feel soft and warm. When I know guests are coming I will place a set of towels for each person on their bed. It’s a nice way to let them know we’re prepared for them and then when they want to wash up they don’t have to go hunting for a towel.
Have Nice Guest Sheets
When we first got married our guest room was simply a hodge podge of items that we didn’t need around the house including the scratchy sheets we didn’t use in our bedroom but didn’t want to just get rid of out right. However, I began to view our guest room as a showcase of our home…it should be somewhere where our guests get our first fruits…the very best as a way to show them how cared for they are. Because, let’s be real, no one wants to sleep on scratchy sheets.
The moral of this story is to buy some sheets that your guests will actually like sleeping on. I found these sheets that are cotton, fairly inexpensive as far as sheets go, and have rave reviews.
Make Some Cookies
Walking into a home that smells like cookies is so comforting. But let’s be honest, homegirl doesn’t always have time to whip up a batch of cookies on the spot. That’s why you should do it now!
Make up a batch of cookies, spoon them onto a cookie sheet and they throw the whole thing in the freezer. After they’ve hardened you can take them off the pan and pop them into a ziploc bag or plastic container to keep in the freezer. Individual cookies for when you need them. Ta-da!
Need a starting place if you don’t bake much? This is my all time cookie book. Baking cookbooks come and go but this one stands the test of time.
Get Candles
If you follow the Hygge method of life then you know how essential candles are to making things cozy. Candles instantly make your house feel like a home, making things feel comforting and draw people in for conversation.
I used to save our candles for company but let’s be honest…this mama loves candles. I decided one day that my family was worth candles too so we burn them almost every day. I just love the warmth and coziness it gives to our family. This is my all time favorite candle, Moonbeams on Pumpkins. Not every Yankee Candle store has it but I found it on Amazon for you! I love the color of this one and it smells SO great!
Think Details
When you are setting up the room for your guests (go ahead and just do that now, buddy, so it’s ready to go when you need it), think of what you like to have when you are going to bed or waking up. A quick trip to Homegoods or an order from Amazon Prime can have your guest room looking like a heavenly haven in no time. Some of my fave small items include:
Hair Dryer Storage
Water Pitcher and Glass Set
Wifi Password
Reading Material
And those are my suggestions! You can order most of these items from Amazon Prime and have them to your doorstep in no time! How perfect if you are having last minute houseguests or you need to get some extra items for your loved ones.
Have a suggestion for something that you love using to make your guests feel at home? Make sure you comment so we can all be in the know!
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