Make Your Holiday Guests Feel Right at Home

It’s almost that wonderful time again, when our homes will be filled with loved ones visiting for the holidays. Many of us preparing for overnight guests will be struggling with how to provide the perfect haven of hotel-like comfort when we have limited guest room space. No need to panic. Just remember these basics and your guests will feel right at home:

A comfortable place to sleep is the number one priority. If you can provide a good quality mattress with a variety of pillow and blanket choices for your tired guests, you will be a champion hostess to most overnight guests.

Multi-purpose furniture and a little creativity will allow you to provide more guestroom amenities in small spaces. A small table and chair against the wall near the bed with a mirror hung at the proper height becomes a nightstand, a vanity, and a desk all in one. A wall-mounted swing-arm lamp can serve as nightstand lamp, desk lamp and vanity lighting for your multi-tasking table. A chest at the end of the bed can serve as bedding storage, a place for excess pillows to be tossed at night, a place to sit, and a luggage rack.

Keep extra throws available in your living room and if you don’t have enough seating, it’s a good time to add a couple poufs or ottomans so everyone can snuggle in for a cozy visit.

Make room in your entryway for guests to offload their bulky outerwear so they don’t have to pile them up in small guest quarters. Temporarily move some of your less often used items to other corners of the house to free up space if your coat closet is packed full.

Make sure your outdoor lights are working and replace any burned out bulbs so your guests can easily find their way after dark. You might even string up some twinkle lights for illumination. Searching for the door of an unfamiliar home after dark can make even seasoned travelers feel unsafe. Provide plenty of light and you will create welcoming atmosphere right from the start.

If you cover those basics, your guests will feel relaxed and at home. For more ideas on preparing for holiday guests, check out our pinterest boards on Great Guest Room Ideas and Preparing Your Home for the Holidays. We wish you a fun-filled, family-filled Thanksgiving!