Life and living: 8 tips to prepare for holiday guests

You may have heard the popular Spanish saying, “Mi casa es su casa.” This literally means, “My house is your house,” but more objectively, it means that guests should make themselves at home. 

As part of our home organization series, we’re tackling ways to make your guests feel at home for the holidays. Whether guests will have their own room, snuggle up on a sofa bed or drift to sleep on an air mattress, these eight tips will ensure that your home is the place they want to be for many holidays to come. 

TIP 1: Provide a comfortable sleeping surface

If your guests will have their own room, make sure their mattress is comfortable for a good night’s sleep. If it’s an older mattress (or a sofa bed), foam padding is a relatively inexpensive way to increase comfort without a large price tag. If you don’t have either, air mattresses have come a long way and can be placed on top of a box spring, a sofa bed or on the floor.

TIP 2: Keep guests cozy with bedding options

Instead of guessing whether your guests prefer firm or soft pillows, are cold or hot sleepers, or need the room temperature just right, give them options for each. Supply a couple different pillow options, include an extra blanket (or two) at the foot of the bed, and provide a small oscillating fan or space heater.

TIP 3: Ensure a good night’s sleep

It can be difficult to sleep well when visiting an unfamiliar environment. Consider providing a sound machine and/or foam ear plugs to block out excess noise, disposable eye masks and/or light-blocking curtains to filter out extra light, and an essential oil diffuser or linen spray made with lavender to help them drift off to sleep.

TIP 4: Provide a bathroom basket

There’s nothing worse as a guest than forgetting toiletries when visiting friends and family. Fill a basket with extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, makeup remover wipes, razors, travel-size shampoos and conditioners, spray deodorant, feminine products, contact solution, over-the-counter pain relievers, etc., and place on the counter in the bathroom.

TIP 5: Make room for clothes

Not many people enjoy living out of a suitcase, so if you can, supply a luggage rack for a suitcase, a couple of empty drawers and a place to hang clothes (including clothes hangers), whether it’s in a closet or on a standalone clothes rack.

TIP 6: Add bedside table necessities

Ensure that the bedside table is equipped with at least three things: a lamp, an alarm clock and access to an outlet for charging devices. You can even find lamps that double as charging stations to free up outlets within the space.

TIP 7: Arrange a simple snack supply

The munchies can strike at any time, so place single-serve snacks and a few bottles of water within the guest area. If you have space, include a small coffee pot or water heater with coffee, tea, creamer and sugar so guests can serve themselves if a craving hits in the middle of the night.

TIP 8: Help guests stay connected

Provide access to your Wi-Fi information by having it posted in a small frame or even on a piece of paper. Your guests may need to connect multiple devices to the internet, and this way they won’t have to hunt down the password each time.

Going the extra mile

In addition to the tips above, for out-of-town guests supply a map or list of your favorite restaurants, breweries, museums or outdoor parks in case they’d like to get out and explore by themselves. If you follow these tips, your home may be the one they’re talking about next year...even if “there’s no place like home.” 

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