I've always loved the idea of entertaining and having house guests, until it gets to be the night before and my house is a wreck and I still have a million things to do - and the dog just puked on the carpet, and all the sheets are dirty, and I drop the quiche on the oven door, and, and, and (and these are all things I have actually done)...
But I've come to realize that it's ME, not my lovely house guests that create all this stress and chaos. Having a few people in your home really isn't that big of a deal if you take a few easy extra steps BEFORE hand.
The biggest thing I have come to realize about being a good hostess is actually being relaxed - your guests can tell if you're a hot mess express, and it doesn't leave them feeling very welcomed. So I'm going to give you a few of my tips, tricks, and hard fast hostess rules!
Before we get started, remember to be kind to yourself, and know that changes are that if someone is staying with you its because they love you and want to spend as much time with you as possible. They'll love you with dirty baseboards and an unorganized fridge too.
So let's dive in! I love for my guests to instantly feel at home, so that's why Tip #1 is so important! - Always be ready for guests. No one loves to be standing awkwardly in the hallway while you try and find a second pillowcase!
Tip #1: Always be ready. What this means is strip that bed the second you close the door behind your guests. I know, I know you just want to put your feet up and pour that next glass of wine - but take 5 minutes now and it will save you a ton of headache down the road. If you have fresh sheets remake the bed otherwise get that load of laundry in there now! Which leads me to my next tip...
Tip #2: Keep it simple. Have dedicated guest room linens that are all the same color. This makes making up the bed, sorting towels etc. idiot and laundry proof. White towels and white sheets, done and done. It also helps to avoid any awkward, "is that my towel?" bathroom incidents.
Tip #3: Anticipate your guests' needs. Have all the icky things that no one wants to ask for ready to find, I'm talking plungers, toilet paper, antacids, tampons etc. - stock up bathrooms so that no one needs to have that awkward conversation. I recently picked up these covered plungers for our house and don't feel so icky about leaving them out. Link to them: HERE
Tip #4: Keep your guest room a neutral space if you have the room to do it. No one wants to feel like they are kicking you out of a room you use regularly. So if that room plays double duty, try to gather up your home office supplies and work from the kitchen while your guests are in town. Provide drawers to unpack and hangers for their clothes if you can, I know this seems excessive but I know as a house guest how much more relaxing it is when you have a bit of your own space. Our guest room has a murphy bed and no closet, so I picked up this garment rack and hangers from Amazon (also a good idea if you use your guest closet for your own storage!) Hangers can be found HERE and the rack HERE - both under $15.
Tip #5: While this might seem excessive (and it doesn't have to be a huge tray like this!) do something special for your guests. At a minimum, I like to include a small snack and some bottled waters. I also always include a card which has things like the wifi password, the garage door code, our cell numbers etc... this makes it easy for your guests to be self-sufficient and not have to worry about where the cups are in the middle of the night! This tray was for my sister before we headed out to a Halloween party, we actually had guests the night before she stayed too, and I loved the simplicity I had created for myself! The bed was all ready to go and I was able to quickly add some personal touches and just enjoy time with my sister!
Erin's guest tray included:
- Bottled Water
- Tito's and mixers
- Candle from Abboo Candle Co (hurry your code BONES20 works for another week!)
- Peanut M&M's
- A small container of tums and aspirin
- Assorted snacks
So there you have it! I know it seems like a lot right now but by being prepared it makes it much more enjoyable for you and your guests! I would love to hear what you do to prepare your home for your guests!
XOXO | SLL