The holiday period is such a special time of year. What makes it particularly festive is spending quality time with family and friends that you may not get to see at other times of the year. Many families choose to host other members in their homes over the Christmas season, especially if some family members are having to travel from other places.
When it comes to having guests stay, it’s important to set the tone in your home to make things as comfortable as possible for those who are joining you. Here are our top tips for getting your home ready for family and friends staying over the holidays.
Declutter and Make Space
You want to ensure that while your guests stay, they feel relaxed and welcome. One of the ways to do that is to have enough space in the house so that no one feels cramped.
A good decluttering before Christmas time is essential to keeping the vibe of your home relaxed; especially when there will be more people in the space, their travel belongings and potentially gifts! Do a full assessment of your house and decide what needs to be tossed or recycled, what items can be donated to charity, what can be sold on websites like eBay and what you’d like to keep. Some of the items in your house can be re-gifted too, saving you money (and helping out the planet too!).
Prepare Guest Bedrooms
The guest bedroom can often get neglected if it’s not regularly used. It can become a space for storage or laundry over time, or a workspace or studio for those remote workers. That’s why it’s so important to take a bit of time before your guests arrive to make sure the guest bedroom is prepared with a comfortable bed from places like Divan Beds Centre.
Put on fresh bedding a day or two before your family members or friends come to stay; get clean towels ready and if you have an ensuite, check if it’s clean and that toiletries are well stocked up. You want your guests to feel like this room is their own, so removing an excess of personal belongings can help too.
Small Touches That Make a Difference
Small touches can make all the difference when it comes to your guests having an enjoyable and memorable stay. Investing in nice soaps, shampoos, candles & other products in their bedroom can make quite an impact. And planning a menu around their dietary requirements and preferences will make them feel well treated. If they have a favourite wine or spirit, make sure to have it on hand. Or go to the next level and create a fancy cocktail around their preferences.
If you want to create a hotel-like experience, place water cold bottles on their bedside table, offer reading materials and leave a spare phone charger in the room just in case!
Create a Loose Itinerary
Another thing that can ease some of the pressure of guests staying and create a more enjoyable and relaxed experience is creating a loose itinerary for their stay. This can include everything from menu plans to suggested activities and more. Of course you don’t want to over plan as the point is for everyone to feel comfortable. But having a few ideas in mind in advance helps to keep everyone entertained and at ease.
One easy tip is to agree on breakfast times the night before — and leave a selection of cereals, teas and coffee out in ready in the off chance they’re an early riser.