Get ready for out-of-town guests
You are expecting a house-full of guests - How do you make them feel at home ? Each situation is of course different. When friends or family stays at our house it very soon gets "cozy" and all possible sleeping arrangements are tested to the max. But no matter if you have spacious guest rooms or air mattresses on the floor, it's all about comfort and making your guests feel welcome.
Check-list before your guests arrive:
1. Does your home look inviting? This is not the time for a major house-cleaning, since this for sure will stress you out. Instead focus on de-cluttering the living areas and guest bedroom, especially if it is normally (like in our house) used as storage for everything we don't really use. Thoroughly clean kitchen and bathrooms. No choice there. Then add festive touches everywhere with color and lights.
2. Does your home smell inviting? As you all know we have two adorable labs, Finnegan and Piper. We don't notice the doggie odor that I am sure lingers in our home, BUT I know that other people might. So I make sure their beds are washed frequently and dog hair removed as much as possible. I usually don't care that much for air fresheners, but prefer to use natural fragrances. This time of the year it is so easy with all the greenery brought indoors for decorations, spices used in baking, and some luxurious fragrant candles. Here in New Mexico we also have the fragrance of pinon smoke from our fireplaces. There is nothing better on a cold winter night!
3. Is the guest bathroom well stocked? First: Check if there is toilet paper!And while you are at it, add nice towels, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and a few packaged toothbrushes etc. - just in case. Pet peeve: Guest towels that are brand new and therefore don't dry very well. If you bought special towels for the guest bath, throw them in the washer a few times before your guests arrive. A few Holiday decorations are so easy to add and definitely make your guests feel that you care. I don't go all out with my Holiday decorations, but I love to add small touches throughout the house.
4. Is the bed comfortable? No matter if your guests are sleeping on the floor on an air mattress or in a cozy bedroom, it is so important for a good night's sleep to have a comfortable bed with enough blankets.
5. Is there a good reading lamp next to the bed? I don't know if this is such a thing with me because I am a lighting person, or if I became a lighting person because bad lighting bothers me so much. No matter what, this is THE first thing I look for when I enter a room where I will spend the night. Is there a reading lamp that will give me comfortable light while I am relaxing in bed and a safe light if I need to get out of bed in the dark?
6. Is the lighting inviting? This is such a wonderful time of year to solve your lighting problems, at least temporarily. Even if the general lighting in your home is a bit of an issue and you don't quite know how to fix it, during the Holidays you can throw light strings practically everywhere and create an inviting and festive atmosphere.
