Preparing Your Home for Guests this Holiday Season
Can you believe Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK?!
I don’t know about you, but for us, this year has absolutely flown by! Here are a few tips to jog your memory on how to prep for guests coming in town during the holidays.
Guest bedrooms – Southern Style
YOU will NEED CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE BEDDING FOR THE GUEST BEDROOM.
Clean being the more important of the two! Make sure all bedding is washed and the bed is made neatly. Yes, they might mind the Louisiana Catahoula hound hair on the pillow! Make sure to have enough pillows and an extra blanket if needed. Here is a link to “How to Make a Bed,” in case you need some help.
CLUTTER FREE SPACE IS IMPORTANT.
Of course, they want to see the 72 photos of you and your kids at the Saints game displayed on the nightstand, but they’d also like a space to rest their own personal items. Make sure the bedside table is clear enough for them to have space for their phones, ipads, laptops or other personal items. Be sure to have a spot for their luggage. Maybe just 1 photo of Drew Brees hanging on the wall will suffice? Having a little hanging space in the closet is considerate too. Move the debutante dresses to the other closet!
HELP ENTERTAIN YOUR GUESTS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT SLEEPING HABITS THAN YOUR FAMILY BY PROVIDING SOFT LIGHTING, WATER, SNACKS AND ENTERTAINMENT.
Lamps, books, InRegister, 225 magazines, local brochures for nearby attractions as well as a Wi-Fi password provided for late night or early morning reading are a just few nice touches. Water and snacks like pralines, Satsuma’s, or Zapp’s chips help a guest feel cozy and may make them forget that it’s 90% humidity outside on Thanksgiving Day. Did I mention they might need hair ties? Do they need space for a C-Pap machine, medications, baby to sleep or nurse?
Guest Bathrooms
PLACE A CLEAN BATH TOWEL, FACE TOWEL, AND WASHCLOTH ON THE GUEST’S BED SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO GO SEARCHING FOR WHAT THEY CAN USE.
In my house, I like to designate certain towels as guest towels so that my family members don’t use them to wash the dog or clean up the mud on the floor (Can you relate?). My guest towels don’t look like the others. They are actually white, for one (not dingy white and well loved). I have put these in baskets, tied them with a ribbon, or just stacked them nicely. Any of those options make the guest feel welcome.
A NICE BASKET OR CONTAINER OF TRAVEL SIZE TOILETRIES IS HELPFUL IF YOUR GUEST FORGOT AN IMPORTANT ITEM.
This basket can include but is not limited to shampoo, body wash, conditioner, toothbrush, razor, mouthwash, toothpaste, dental floss, comb, hair ties, or bug spray (mosquitos are like hawks, y’all). If your guests have small children, include toiletries geared for children as well.
MAKE SURE THAT THE BATHROOM IS CLEAN.
This is especially important if your guests share the bathroom with my children. Uhm, I mean children. Any children.
All of these tips can help your guests feel relaxed and pass a good time while staying in your home. They let your guests feel that they are wanted and welcome. But be careful, if you are too kind, they might not leave. And as my Mother-in-law likes to say, company and fish stink after about 3 days!
Most importantly, y’all have a good time, cher! Laisses Bon Temps Rouler!
DOES PREPARING YOUR GUEST ROOM FOR COMPANY SEEM OVERWHELMING? LET US GIVE YOU A HAND!
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