Home for the Holidays – Part I

With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away and Christmas little more than 6 weeks away, preparing for guests is becoming a reality. And what a wonderful time it is! Personally, I love nothing more than an overnight guest. Greeting them, welcoming them to our home, showing them to their room, and showing them all of the ways I prepared for their arrival. I love for our guests to feel what I’m thinking, I’m so excited to have you here and I want you to know you’re special to me. And let’s be honest, I also love to hear their oohs and ahhs when they enter their room and see all of the special items I placed just for them.

So, to share that with my guests, I rely on about 15 different, quick and easy things to get my guest room ready for our special guest. Let’s get to em.

1. Luggage rack

A luggage rack is a huge help to a guest. It keeps their items off the floor, keeps them off the floor when sifting     through their things, and it keeps (hopefully) your guests from putting their suitcase on your nice bedding. And you can easily find an inexpensive one at Amazon or Bed Bath & Beyond.

2. Robe and slippers

Just like in the top hotels, offer guests a robe and slippers. A matching terry cloth robe and slipper set would be wonderful, and go for the unisex type so it fits most of your guests. It doesn’t have to be expensive either. You can find many robes for under forty dollars.

3. Extra toiletries

Just in case your guests forgot an item or two, it’s always nice to offer them a basket of extra toiletries in the bathroom that they’ll be using. I collect the nicer shampoos and conditioners from hotels that I stay at, and then offer them to my guests so that I can have a cohesive looking set. But, if you don’t have these on hand, of course you can go to most local stores and get all kinds of travel size items. And don’t forget an extra toothbrush. That’s always what I forget to bring and have to devise an impromptu paper towel wrapped around my finger to act as a toothbrush. No one wants that.

4. Extra towels

In my guest room, I always place at least one bath towel, one hand towel, and one wash cloth per guest. If they’re staying longer than a couple of days, I would recommend providing two of these per person. And put them where they’re easily visible so your guests don’t awkwardly have to go digging through your linen closet after you’ve gone to bed.

5. Water and glasses

You can address this a couple of two ways. Either, place a couple of bottled waters in your guests’ room, or, a lidded glass container full of water and a couple of glasses. My guests always appreciate this, and to make it a little extra fun, I use my his and hers Kate Spade Highball glasses that I received as a wedding gift for my guests’ water glasses.

6. Snacks

My mother in law is great at this. She places little Ferroro Rocher candies throughout her home when my husband and I visit, and I love it. I eat all of them myself, oops. So, I’ve started to do the same at my own home. When I have guests, I place a tray on a dresser, place the water and glasses on it, and a small dish filled with little individually wrapped goodies. And I try to get personal with this. I try to choose items that I know my guests love. For some it’s chocolate, for some it’s a package of nuts, and for some, it’s a little oddball. My best friend loves popcorn and Teddy Grahams, so when she visits, that’s what she gets on her tray.

7. Reading lamp

I like to be able to provide my guests with more options for activities than just sleeping while in their room. If they wake up before me, or just aren’t quite ready for bed yet, it’s a great option to give your guests a reading lamp, particularly by the bed. It also gives them a way to turn down the lights for the evening, mentally preparing themselves for bed. And if possible, it’s best if you can get a bedside lamp that has a 3 way switch, if not a dimmer.

8. Reading material & space

For an even cozier reading option, it’s great to create a small space where your guests can sit down, relax, and read through some reading materials that you’ve provided for them. As long as you have a cozy chair, a reading or floor lamp, a table, and a few books or magazines, you’ve got yourself a great guest reading corner.

9. A TV

To round out potential activities for guests in their room, it’s a great option to provide them with a tv. For me, my husband and I brought the exact same tv into the marriage. So, one went into the family room, and the other one went into the guest room. No need to buy a new one, but if you happen to have an extra one that isn’t used very often, think about placing it in your guest room. Guests will appreciate you creating a space for them to get away from it all for awhile.

We’ll round out this list next week, when we’re down to only one week before Thanksgiving. In the mean time, start getting your extra toiletries, towels, and snacks together to make your guests feel truly loved and welcome.