The Life She Wanders

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5 Ways to Prep for Holiday Guests

Stepfanie McCaffrey

The holiday season brings about gatherings of friends and family from both near and far. When you are hosting out-of-town guests, there are certain things that can make a guest feel even more at home during the holiday season. There’s nothing worse than traveling for the holidays to stay with family or friends and feeling like you are all up in their space - not fun! I’ve rounded up 5 ways to make your space even more welcoming and inviting for guests.

TECH TRAY

The ability to be connected at all times just continues to grow and grow and we all know how annoying it can be to rattle of that forever long WiFi password filled with every letter and number possible. If you’re able to, change it to something holiday related and easier for your guests to remember - and type. Leave the WiFi name and password in the guest room or in a frame in common areas of your house like the entertaining space or kitchen. It saves you from having to rattle off the password and keeps them from feeling uncomfortable about asking for the password over and over.

It is also a nice touch to keep the remotes out with any tips or tricks on getting your TV to work. I cut the cord with cable months ago [best decision ever!] and switched to streaming. I got a Roku Ultra Steaming Player and use Hulu and Netflex for all my tv and movie needs. The nice part is the Roku remote comes with quick access buttons for Hulu and Netflix so it makes it super easy for your guests to use.

You can also keep an extra phone charger handy. I can’t tell you home many times I’ve forgotten mine traveling and had to ask to borrow one from family or friends. Though it is not a big deal to ask, having an extra readily available for them to use is just a simple extra touch. I like using the extended cord ones - this one is about 8’ so there’s no having to hover by an outlet while your phone charges.

BLANKETS + PILLOWS

You want your guests to feel at home so having enough blankets and pillows for them is key. If you don’t have a guest room and they’ll be sleeping on the couch, it’s important to be able to offer more than your throw blankets and accent pillows [plus nobody wants those to get ruined]. Keep some extra sheets around that you can put out for guests [bonus points if you make the sleeper sofa ahead of time]. I also like having these large fuzzy blankets on hand; they are budget friendly and super cozy.

BATHROOM ESSENTIALS

Whether you have a guest bathroom or not, having towels and extra toiletries for your guests is another warming touch. Almost think of yourself as a hotel - what items would be nice to have around and a bonus in case you forgot something. Think q-tips, toothbrush, tooth paste, floss, razor, mouth wash, lotion, etc - all the goods! Also making sure you have extra towels and wash cloths available is key. And don’t forget toilet paper! I like to keep these stacked in wicker bins to keep everything together - plus it’s nicer to look at than a pile of stuff.

SNACKS & DRINKS

Another fun and personal touch is to have snacks and drinks on hand that you know your guests enjoy. I know my dad and brother love Spindrift [and so do I!] but I always make sure I have extra on hand when my family comes to visit. I know my mom loves apples, peanut butter, chocolate and granola so I like to make sure I’m stocked up on those things…but let’s be honest, those are staple items for me! You could leave a small basket of snack-packs, chocolates, snack bars in the room your guests are staying in or have them easily accessible on the counter for them to grab at any time. It’s also a nice touch to have things out when they arrive - who isn’t hungry/thirsty after a day of traveling?

DEDICATED SPACE

There is nothing worse than being the guest at someone’s house and feeling like you are all in their space. As the host, clear out some space for your guests to house their luggage or clothes. Make room in a spare closet, clear a shelf or dresser drawer, or offer to hang things so they don’t wrinkle. Having extra space for them to put or store things while they are visiting helps to keep your space organized while making them feel important.

So who wants to come over for the holidays?! Have any tips or tricks for making out-of-town guests feel more at home when visiting? Share below in the comments!

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