Overnight guests
How can you show hospitality by being a good host to overnight guests? By making them feel at home. After making a move hundreds of miles away, we often enjoy having guests from out of town stay with us. This can make the number of people in our home anywhere from 13-23. How do we make it happen with zero stress? Here are some tips that we put into effect when we have overnight guests stay with us:
- Prepare your guests before they arrive. Let them know what their sleeping arrangements will be. This way they can get the necessary sleeping items to make it work for them. Let them know if they will be sleeping on an air mattress, couch, or beds. This makes a huge difference!
- Let them know that your home is their home. If they want to make coffee early in the morning, show them where the supplies are.
- Make it clean and cozy. Put fresh sheets and pillow cases on the beds. Make sure there is plenty of towels and wash cloths in the bathroom. I even put an extra container of cleaning wipes on the back of the toilet, in case they want to wipe up a mess. Keep a small trash can in their room to allow them to throw away things. Keep an extra blanket on their bed in case they get cold.
- Reading materials or TV remotes. Let them know how to operate your television—sounds like a given but everyone’s is different. Keep some magazines and books handy that you might have borrowed from the library.
- Let them know where your snacks and foods are in case they are hungry late. Provide something like fresh fruit, salty crackers or chips, and chocolate. Cover all the cravingsJ
- Show them how to get their room cooler or hotter, depending upon the season. We provide them with a fan to block out the noise.
- Keep some extra samples out for your guests in case they forgot theirs.
- Give them a room to chill in. We offer our guests the master suite, which is the girls room. This way they can go in, shut the door and unwind if necessary. We make it a point to tell them to feel free and take a rest, we won’t be offended at all.
- Something special. A fresh bouquet of flowers, a welcome sign, a small homemade gift is something greatly appreciated for your guests. Let them know you anticipated their arrival.
- Talk about meals beforehand. Find out what your guests like or dislike. Make a rough menu for the time they will be at your home. Have some simple things like sandwich material, muffins, and fresh fruit for an easy snack to eat.
- I give an extra laundry basket in case they want to do their own laundry as well. It is never fun to have to return home with a bag full of dirty laundry.
A little planning and preparing beforehand can make your guests feel very comfortable and at ease for the stay in your home.
