I often share my tips for hosting great dinner parties and get-togethers here on the blog and over on Instagram, but there’s a whole other type of hosting that deserves some attention. With the holiday season right around the corner, a lot of people will be traveling to see loved ones, and you may find yourself opening up your home to out-of-town guests. In an effort to make your visitors feel welcomed and to take the stress out of 24/7 entertaining, think about these hosting essentials to be an amazing host to your houseguests.
Create Comfortable Sleeping Arrangements
When inviting guests to spend the night, the first thing you need to figure out is where they’re going to put their things, rest their heads at night, and relax when they need some privacy. Do you have a guest room in your house? If so, great! You’ve already got this first step covered. If not, do you have a second room you can turn into a pop-up bedroom for a few nights? Air mattresses are a great way to fake a bedroom if you’re in a pinch. If you’re in a one-bedroom apartment and having older relatives over, consider letting them take your bedroom and you offering to crash on the couch. It’s only for a few days and they will really appreciate the gesture!
Also, whatever room you put your guests, make room in the dresser and closet (and hang some spare hangers) so they don’t have to be living out of their suitcase! Be careful though because if you make them too comfortable they may never leave!
Gather Up Guest Essentials
We’ve all been a guest at someone’s house. And no one enjoys having to bug their host for little things—clean towels, shampoo, and other necessities. So, instead of making your guests guess where things are or continue to ask for things, gather up guest-room essentials and make it easy for them to find. Now that’s how to be an amazing host.
- A selection of toiletries, including a spare toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, face wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, razor, Q-tips, lotion, etc.
- Spare rolls of toilet paper where your guests can easily find them (to avoid any embarrassing situations)
- A few bottles of water
- Some snacks, like assorted nuts and other easy munchies
- An extra blanket in case your guest gets cold
- Slippers
- Magazines or books
- A nicely printed paper with the WiFi name and password
- Notepad and pen
Feel free to visit my Shop page to see the items I love and recommend for the kitchen and around the home.
Check Their Dietary Needs
Before your guests set off for their travels, make sure to ask them if they have any dietary restrictions or needs (I have a load of gluten-free recipes here). Also, check what they usually eat for breakfast and like to munch on throughout the day. Pick up some food on your regular supermarket trip so they have options. You can even make them a little snack basket in their room so they don’t even have to bother you for munchies!
Cook a Few Meals In Advance
No one likes being stuck in the kitchen cooking when guests are over. So, prepare a few dishes before your company even arrives. That way, when it’s time to dig in, you just have to pull your meal out of the freezer or refrigerator and reheat. Along with main meals, don’t forget to whip up a dessert or two!
In addition, give your guests a tour of the kitchen and show them how to help themselves so you aren’t cooking 3 meals a day (this really comes in handy around lunchtime if you have to head out to work or run some errands).
Do a Deep Clean
Having guests walk into a clean space helps make them feel comfortable and shows them you take pride in your place. So, along with making sure they have clean sheets on the bed and your guest room is tidy, don’t forget to wash down the kitchen counters, vacuum the floors, dust the blinds, and make everything look sparkly clean.
Relax and Enjoy
Sometimes we’re so busy wearing our hostess hat that we forget to kick back and actually enjoy spending time with our company. Stock up on a few bottles of wine and don’t stress too much—just live in the moment!
