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The holiday season brings families together for festive traditions and quality time. For long distance families, holidays also bring the hassle of traveling and finding accommodations. This means, if you aren't flying across the country to see your loved ones, you will probably end up hosting them in your town and home. With some simple planning, you can have your home ready for holiday guests before they even book their flights.
These five ways to get your home ready for holiday visitors will guide you in hosting family and friends:
1. Sleep Accommodations
Despite staying up all hours chatting and laughing with you, holiday guests still need a comfortable place to rest each night. Keep three things in mind when preparing a place to sleep for house guests:
- Space: Before your guests arrive, calculate the number of beds you need for everyone to sleep in their own space. If you don't have enough beds in your home, use air mattresses or roll-away cots to provide the extra spots for guests to sleep.
- Bedding: Make sure you clean the sheets of all spare beds and provide enough bedding to keep guests warm and comfortable. Remember that air mattresses circulate cold air and need extra blankets to keep sleepers cozy on cold nights.
- Privacy: If you have more than one family staying with you over the holidays, try to give each family a private space of their own. If your house lacks the number of spare rooms to do this, give priority to guest with small children or babies.
2. Guest Bathrooms
A crowded house during the holidays leads to limited bathroom access for everyone. Though you can't add on an extra bathroom for guests, you should prepare the existing guest bathrooms to accommodate your friends and family.
Two steps provide guests with the facilities needed while staying with you:
- Cleaning: Do a thorough cleaning of all bathrooms in your house before guests arrive. Clear your children's toys from the tub, leaving a clear space for guests to bathe while staying with you. Maintain a clean bathroom during the visit by washing towels and cleaning surfaces.
- Stocking: Keep bathrooms stocked with toiletries and clean towels for the duration of your guests' stay. Don't forget to stock tear-free shampoo and baby wipes for family members with small children.
3. Meal Planning
A house full of holiday guests makes for extra mouths to feed. Plan ahead to make sure your house guests have plenty to eat while staying with you.
Following these tips will help you prepare your kitchen for guests in your home:
- Make a list: Prepare a detailed list of each meal you plan to cook and all necessary ingredients. Don't forget to include enough snack foods and treats to keep your guests satisfied between meals.
- Shopping: Purchase food for the holidays gradually over three or four shopping trips. This will help to spread out the cost and give you ample time to go back for forgotten ingredients.
- Preparing meals: Find easy to prepare, crock pot meals that feed large groups of people. Try to get your prepping, chopping and sealing of ingredients done prior to the arrival of guests, giving you more time to spend with them.
4. Holiday Decor
Decorating your home for the holidays spreads cheer and creates a fun, festive atmosphere for your guests.
Make your guests feel included while decorating your house for major holidays:
- Thanksgiving: When hosting guests for Thanksgiving, add fall colors to your home with table centerpieces, hanging wreaths and seasonal bouquets. Make personalized name cards for each guest at Thanksgiving dinner, showing how thankful you feel for their visit.
- Christmas: Guest who stay in your home over Christmas should feel comfortable and welcome. Make sure to provide stockings and ornaments for Christmas guests and have plenty of gifts for them to open. They will also appreciate the holiday feel of Christmas lights, wreaths and scented candles.
5. Get Organized
Organizing your home helps to direct guests to items they need and keeps the house clean. Arrange foods in your pantry so guests can find what they need and label them accordingly. Make sure guests also have a designated spot for their luggage and provide them with a hamper for dirty laundry.
Getting your home ready for holiday guests not only prepares you for a smooth visit, but also makes them feel welcome. Give your house guests a comfortable place to stay this holiday season and they will surely appreciate the effort.
Lynne T. is a freelance writer covering car insurance fraud for a number of auto insurance companies. When not writing online, she enjoys baking for her daughter's small bake shop.
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