There are many creative, effective ways to welcome guests into your home. If your family or friends will be visiting over the holiday season, these are some ways to create a cozy environment.
The Guest Room
The most important room in which to create an inviting atmosphere is your guest room. Since this is where your guests will be sleeping and keeping their things, you should focus your energy first on this room.
- Be sure to have fresh, clean sheets and pillows on the bed – when you wash the sheets use an extra dryer sheet or two so sheets are nice and soft.
- Place a small table or luggage rack at the end of the bed or somewhere in the room so guests have a place for their suitcases.
- Place a few current magazines, a novel or two and a bedside reading lamp on the nightstand beside the bed.
- Have an extra blanket folded at the end of the bed.
The Guest Bathroom
- Create a large basket filled with fresh towels and washcloths, a new bar of soap, travel sizes of toothpaste, shampoo or other toiletries, and bottled water.
- If guests will have their own bathroom, place the basket on a small table in the bathroom.
- If they will be sharing a bathroom, place the basket in the guest room so they’ll know it’s for them.
- Be sure the guest bathroom is freshly cleaned, has toilet paper, extra washcloths, an empty trashcan, etc.
A Reading Corner
Don’t ignore the most-lived-in parts of your house when guests are coming. In the room where you spend most of your time and/or watch TV it’s nice to create a small reading area for your guests. Again, current magazines are nice, as well as a reading lamp, a blanket or throw, family photo albums, and a good view of the TV!
In the Kitchen
Don’t forget about your guests when it comes to the kitchen, as this is often the place that guests, like family members, end up spending a lot of time. Make sure there are plenty of different tea flavors, both caffeinated and decaf coffee, salty and sweet snacks, different brands of soda, and a variety of beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages that just may be the secret to entertaining success!
The most important thing to remember is simply to enjoy the time you have with your guests- whether they’re friends or family, chances are the time will be go by quickly, so you might as well make the time enjoyable for everyone!
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