It is the same every year – the holidays always seem to creep up on us.
One minute they are months away, and the next they are just over the horizon.
It is usually a busy time, but when you have family or friends coming to stay with you, time can suddenly seem much harder to come by.
You want to give your guests a relaxing and enjoyable stay but knowing how best to do that is not always obvious.
If you are hosting guests during the holiday season, here are five tips to help you make them as comfortable as possible.
1. Rearrange or upgrade the furniture
First things first, do you have enough furniture to enable everyone to be seated either when chatting, watching a festive movie, or eating and drinking?
If it is impossible for everyone to be comfortable at the same time, your guests may feel like they are an imposition.
To avoid this, consider shopping for furniture for living rooms so that you’ll have everything you need before the guests arrive.
You should also consider your sleeping arrangements, as asking guests to sleep on an inflatable mattress for more than one night is not ideal.
2. Give all guests easy access to the Wi-Fi code
Just about everyone (even grandparents) has a cell phone or tablet that they like to travel with.
Rather than make each one of them ask for a Wi-Fi password, write it down and place it somewhere visible.
If you have several guests staying in separate bedrooms, you could put a small sign or note in their room that they will see when they are getting settled in.
3. Let guests know about any plans or events
If your guests are staying with you for a longer period of time, it’s likely that their visit will coincide with other events like the kids’ school performances, work events, church services, or parties.
It might be helpful to give your guests a schedule of all the events that you will be attending, whether they are invited along or whether you will be unavailable for an evening (e.g., you are attending a work event).
This will help them to plan their time and decide what they would like to attend, when they will have free time to enjoy, and when you will be out of the house.
4. Provide essential toiletries in their room
We all know what it is like to travel – it is almost certain that we will forget something that we need to stay overnight like toothpaste, a toothbrush, a comb, or any of the other toiletries.
To help them feel as welcome and comfortable as you can, consider providing a basket of toiletries for them to use during their stay.
You could even add some luxury items like moisturizing lotion and lip balm, both of which are very useful in cold weather.
5. Give them plenty of bedding options
Not everyone has the same preferences when it comes to bedding.
Some people prefer two pillows over one, and some people like to be wrapped up in several layers, while others would rather have a single sheet.
Giving your guests plenty of bedding will enable them to make their bed as comfortable and cozy as possible without feeling like they are being a nuisance by asking for additional blankets or pillows.