With the holidays just around the corner, and people finally traveling after almost two years of pandemic travel restrictions, many of us are getting ready to welcome out-of-town visitors again. Having guests stay at your house can be fun, but it can also be stressful for both parties. Whether your guests will sleep in a spare bedroom or on a sofa in your living room, there are many easy ways to make their stay comfortable. You don’t have to follow all of these tips, but adopting even just a few of them will go a long way to make your guests feel pampered. That way, they’ll be longing to return the favor one day.
Let them know what to expect
It’s a good idea to manage guests’ expectations in advance, so let them know if they’ll be staying in their own room, taking over the home office or crashing in the living room. This could help them to know how much they should pack. It also gives them a chance to reconsider staying with you if they’d prefer the privacy afforded by hotel over a living-room sofa.
Make the bed comfortable
If your guests will be sleeping on an actual bed, maximize their comfort by adding a mattress topper. A memory foam topper, or even a featherbed, can make even an old mattress feel new. Toppers also vastly improve the comfort of a sofa bed and, yes, even sofas. Instead of asking extra guests — or their kids — to sleep on the floor, consider purchasing an air mattress, which is not at all expensive and easy to store for future visits.
Upgrade the bedding
Think of your guest room more like a boutique hotel and less like a roadside flophouse. Invest in soft, high thread-count cotton sheets and pillowcases. Try to offer two pillows per guest, one firm and one soft, as well as a couple of throw pillows for back support while reading. And iron the pillowcases for a fresh, clean appearance. In addition to a cushy comforter, make sure to have an extra blanket available, and leave it on the bed from the start – guests often feel bad about asking for things, so it’s better to anticipate their needs.
Have storage options
Although most guests expect to primarily live out of a suitcase, it can help them feel more civilized if they get a closet or other space to hang or store clothes. If you don’t have extra closet space, find creative options, like storage ottomans, over-the-door organizers or even clearing a shelf on a small bookcase that can double as a dresser. You can also insert a tension rod or pull-up bar in a doorway where guests can hang clothes – and remember to supply the hangers.
Get rid of clutter
Clear the area where your guests will be staying. Having your personal items around — be they clothes, tax statements or your collection of baseball cards – gives them the impression that they are imposing on your personal space. Let them know they’re welcome by offering a clean, minimally decorated haven.
Pamper them in the bathroom
Maybe it’s because I grew up in a family of five kids, two parents and two grandparents sharing one bathroom, but one of my first questions when staying at a hotel or a friend’s house is always “What’s the bathroom situation?” Ideally your guests will have access to their own bathroom, but if they will be sharing yours, make room so they can store their toiletries. Prepare a basket of essentials like a toothbrush, toothpaste and shampoo, and splurge on a few luxuries like scented soap or lotion. Provide a stack of plush towels, including washcloths. And if you’re sharing a bath, make sure the guest towels are a different color from yours so they’ll know which is which.
Include the must-haves
Take a cue from hotels for some essentials to have on hand for your guests’ convenience. An alarm clock is a must. (And, as a courtesy, set the radio station to one you know that your guest will like.) So are tissues. An iron and ironing board are also important. It’s doubtful you will have a dedicated iron for guests, but let them know where you keep it – before they have to ask for it. And here’s something people never think of providing, but guests frequently need: extension cords, so they can charge their electronics.
Think about COVID safety
Be forthcoming in disclosing the vaccination status of everyone in the household, and hope your visitors will do the same. Have hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes available for guests, and provide them with masks for when they go out on the town.
Provide munchies
Guests will get hungry, and they may feel uncomfortable asking if there’s anything to nosh on. Leave a basket of snacks such as cookies, chips, nuts and fruit on your guests’ bedside table. Include a couple bottles of water. And as their stay progresses, be sure to replenish the supply. Of course, let your guests know that they’re welcome in the kitchen by showing them where the cups, plates and utensils are, and encourage them to help themselves to anything in the refrigerator.
Leave the light on
You don’t want your guests fumbling in the dark in the middle of the night, so place night lights in hallways and bathrooms. Motion sensor LED lights that turn on when someone passes by can also help prevent accidents on staircases. And make sure they have ample light in their space for reading.
Make a cheat sheet for electronics
Figuring out how to turn on the television can be a challenge for someone unfamiliar with your system, especially if you have peripheral equipment like DVD players, DVRs and streaming devices. Write out step-by-step instructions so guests do not have to bother you every time they want to turn on the TV. Also write down your Wifi passcode, because the first thing everyone does, even before unpacking, is check e-mails.
Fill them in on the neighborhood
Hopefully, your guests will not feel the need to be tethered to you and will want to explore your neighborhood. Provide a local map highlighted with places they may find of interest, like parks, restaurants, libraries and stores. Have take-out menus and brochures of local attractions so they can read up on the area hot spots. And, most importantly, let them know where the closest Starbucks or Coffee Bean is.
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at jonathanfongstyle.com.