I am sooooo excited! My BFF is coming for a visit in our new house! Our very first overnight guest in our new digs. No more having her sleep on our old lumpy couch or an uncomfortable sleeper sofa bed in the living room. I have the luxury of having an entire room designated as a guest room along with an attached on suite bathroom. I really want to pamper her when she is here, so she will want to come and visit more often!
I have been slowly getting things ready for her and as I thought about it, it occurred to me that it would be helpful to put together a list of things to do to prepare for overnight guests. That way you can avoid the mad dash and running around at the last minute scenario. Been there, done that; and prefer to not go there again! I want to be relaxed and enjoy my time with her, not be exhausted and frazzled from running around at the last minute getting things ready.
If you have some advance notice, I really think these tips will help make getting ready for your overnight guests a breeze! Even if you don’t have a lot of advance notice, if you follow this list you will have most everything in place all the time. So open your doors and invite your family and friends to come on over and stay for a while!
Change the sheets on the bed. Even if the sheets are clean, if they have been on the bed for months and months they are going to smell a bit stale. Strip down the bed and toss the sheets and pillowcases into the dryer on the steam setting. Adding a dryer sheet will refresh them and give them that freshly laundered smell. How nice is it to slip into a bed that has that lovely freshly laundered scent?
TIP: If you are short on time, or have last minute guests arriving, spritz the bedding with a Linen spray for a quick refresh. You can read all about Linen spray here.
Blankets and quilts. Some guests will run on the warm side and kick off the covers and some will run on the cold side and want to pile on the blankets to stay warm. Make sure you have extra blankets in the room so your guests can use them if they are cold. I like to toss a comfy throw at the foot of the bed and store extra blankets in one of the dresser drawers in the guest room.
Extra hangers in the closet. Place a few extra hangers in the closet so that your guests can hang their clothing if they decide they don’t want to live out of their suitcase during their stay.
Empty out a couple of dresser drawers. If you have the space, providing a couple of drawers for your guests to store their items is a very nice convenience.
Stock up on toiletries. Most of your guests will pack their favorite toiletries and bring them along, but just in case they forget something, put out some of the basics. Things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, Q-tips, cotton balls, dental floss, and extra bars of soap.
Tip: Save travel sized shampoos, conditioners, soaps and body lotions when you stay at a hotel and place them in a pretty glass container on the bathroom counter for your guests to use.
Stacks of fluffy towels. Set out neatly folded fluffy towels. Nothing is more welcoming and luxurious than wrapping yourself in a soft, fluffy towel after a shower.
Bathrobes. Provide soft white terrycloth robes for your guests. Your guests will feel utterly pampered and be able to relax wrapped in a big fluffy robe. They will feel like they are staying at a fancy spa!
Luggage rack. If you plan to host guests frequently, it’s a great idea to invest in a good sturdy luggage rack. Your guests will appreciate the fact that they will not have to dig things out of their suitcases on the floor. Your younger guests may not care, but your older guests will definitely appreciate it!
Bed tray. I love setting out a bed tray on the bed. It is a great platform for a simple vignette and just makes the room look extra pretty and makes guests feel extra special. You cannot help but feel special when you have a bed tray to hold your glass of wine in the evening when you are getting ready for bed or enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee in the morning.
Wi-Fi password. I found a lovely silver picture frame, printed out our Wi-Fi password and placed it in the frame. Guests can easily log in and stay connected to family at home.
Access to outlets. Make sure the furniture in your guest room isn’t blocking access to all the outlets in the room. Your guests will appreciate having easy access to an outlet to charge their electronic devices.
Fresh flowers. If you have enough notice and can make the time, either clip some flowers from your garden or make a quick run to the grocery store to pick up a bunch of fresh flowers. Place them in a pretty pitcher and set them out on the nightstand. This small thoughtful little touch will surely bring a smile.
It looks like a lot to do, but really, the only items that need doing right before a visit are washing the sheets, towels, and robes and setting out some fresh flowers. The rest can be set up and done well in advance and should take almost no time what so ever.
I am so looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with my bestest ever girlfriend! We don’t get to spend nearly enough time together and I miss her. I so enjoy her company! By spoiling her just a little bit I can let her know how much her friendship means to me!
What do you like to do to make your guests feel welcome in your home?
Warning! Be careful not to make things too inviting, or your guests may never want to leave! Charging them rent would be a sure fire way to let them know they have overstayed their welcome. LOL!
Barbie, you have great ideas! Your guests are pampered. You should run a bed and breakfast.
Come on over for a visit Sadie! I would love the opportunity to pamper you for a few days while you visit!