Preparing Your Home for Holiday Guests

With holidays literally right around the corner, chances are you might be hosting overnight guests in your holiday home sooner than later.  If so, read on to learn more about how to prepare for them and make them feel comfortable in their home away from home this year.  

I read once that the best way to prepare your guest room for company is to literally spend a night or two there yourself.  There is no better way to understand what your guest room needs than to sleep in the guest bed, shower in the guest bathroom, etc.  

As it turns out, my husband and I did just that a couple months ago over our Labor Day Staycation. While we enjoyed our time in the guest suite, it was a bit of an eye-opening experience.  Why, oh why, have none of our guests ever mentioned things like the lack of a bath rug in the bathroom or towel hooks?  Oh dear, our guests sure are nice.  

Although I can usually count on my dear father-in-law to let me know this type of thing.  This is the man who literally brought his own alarm clock and left it for our spare room because we were missing that too.  Over the years, he has also mentioned that we needed things like a shower caddy and a trashcan for the guest bathroom, which we corrected once he pointed it out.  So why he hasn't mentioned the rug or hooks, I cannot imagine.  Now that I write this, I believe it is very possible that perhaps he has mentioned towel hooks before.  In any case, he is my barometer.  And a very good one.  

However, if you don't have someone to "test" your guest accommodations on, it's back to square one. Spend a night or two if your guest room, and ask yourself.

• Are there enough pillows and blankets for the bed?
• Is the air temperature comfortable?  Do you need to add a small fan or heater?
• Is there a clock/ alarm for the bedroom?
• Are there bedside lamps?
• Are the closets neat and uncluttered?  (Ha, that won't happen in this house, but it's certainly a good idea if you can manage it.)
• Is your bathroom stocked with plenty of clean towels and washcloths?
• Are soap, shampoo, and other basic toiletries handy?

You might just find that you have to add a little more to your "to do" list to prepare for your holiday guests, but ultimately they will be happier and more comfortable and you can once again reclaim your title of supreme hostess.  Ahhh, all is right with the world yet again.