Are you expecting guests this Christmas?
Especially if they’re planning to stay for several days, you’ll want to make sure your home is ready for them! A prepared home will allow you and them to enjoy a lovely visit! If you don’t know where to get started, take a look at these 10 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for Christmas Guests!
~10 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for Christmas Guests~
1. Make a Welcoming Entrance
The first thing your guests will see when you open the front door is your entryway. So you’ll want to make a great first impression! Make sure your entrance is nicely arranged, and that shoes and backpacks are out of the way. The first thing your guests will smell… is up to you! Maybe you have a great holiday Candle 
2. Declutter and Organize
Just as your entryway needs to be neat, so does the rest of your house! Part of this is just to have it be nice looking for your guests. But a nicely organized home is also helpful to guests in that it reduces how many times they have to ask you where things are, or where things go.
3. Check the Guest Bed
If you get your home ready for Christmas guests and forget to check the guest bed, you’ve skipped a critical step! Whether your guest bed is an actual mattress or a sleeper sofa, make sure to check it before your guests arrive. Then double check that you have extra linens to dress the bed with. Using a blow up mattress? Check that it has no leaks since the last time it was inflated.
4. Provide Extras
Make your guests’ visit pleasant by expecting them to have forgotten some things. Pretend that you’re a hotel, and provide small bottles of lotion, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other such everyday items. You can even provide a little gift bag on their bed to hold all those little items so they know that they are for their own use. Are guests coming from far away? Perhaps add a little reading material to the guest room that tells a little about the area you live in!
5. Prepare the Closet
When you get your home ready for Christmas guests, make sure not to forget to check the closets! If you don’t have a guest closet, does the main one have space for your guests’ coats, luggage, and any gifts they may travel with? And if you do have a guest closet, is it empty for your guests to use, or is it full of you own things? Try to clear a little space that guests can use to store luggage out of their way. No closet space – a Folding Luggage Rack
6. Prepare the Bathroom
Avoid any awkward conversations by keeping toilet paper, first aid supplies, towels, and bathroom toiletries in easily accessible locations. Consider using baskets to organize items for your guests to use. If your guests have a good sense of humor a well placed Poo Pourri Spray
7. Check the Dinner Table
Do you have enough table settings for guests? Do you have enough chairs? And more importantly, is there actually space at the table for everyone? If your table has a leaf or fold out extensions, consider putting them in place so everyone has enough space to sit comfortably.
8. Light for Nighttime
You may be able to make it to the bathroom at night without tripping over furniture, but you’ve lived in your home for a while. A guest may not be able to make it down a dark hall as easily. Consider getting some nightlights, or leaving some lamps on at night to help your guests see where they’re going. If you feel like going the extra mile, check out all the holiday themed Night Light
9. Buy Food for Your Guests
Get your home ready for Christmas guests by stocking the pantry with some of your guests’ favorite foods! Their favorite snacks will help them feel at home, and will ensure that you can serve meals that they’ll enjoy, especially if they have any allergies or dietary restrictions. I also try to keep bottled water in the guests room ass well – that way they dont need to ask for water once they are ready to sleep.
10. Rearrange the Cupboards
Your guests will appreciate being able to find food quickly in the pantry, whether they’re looking for a snack or trying to help you with dinner. Put things they’re likely to look for in the front, so they don’t have to search too much. This is also a great time to declutter and pitch expired items before the new year!
And if you feel like your on a roll with the cleaning and decluttering, check out this 30 day decluttering program! It’s perfect to start the new year!
How do you get your home ready for Christmas guests?
5 Ways to Bring Christmas to the Playroom!
About Shannon SchmidShannon traded in her sensible NYC TV producer shoes (they were best for taking the subway), for a pair of Texas Cowboy boots when she married her best friend! He's at fault for making this Yankee a Texan! Shannon writes about all things that make a house a home. Her chief blogging inspiration is being the proud & slightly neurotic mom of a preschool age daughter.
You can find Shannon on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and her new favorite place to hang out, Google+.
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