It’s the season for turkey, ham, tamales, or any of the other meals that your family eats during the holidays. Holidays bring the family together to celebrate and spend time together. The holiday season can be joyous, but it can also be stressful and hectic if you don’t prepare for all of the family and friends that will arrive at your house as a houseguest. Don’t despair. You can make the holiday season stress-free and enjoyable by preparing for houseguests.

Prepare the Guestrooms

Make sure that the guest rooms have room in the closets for a houseguest. If you store your out of season clothes, it’s time to store them in another area. The same advice goes for dresser drawers. If you have frequent houseguests, make sure to install a luggage rack in an area of the room.

Linen and Things

The house, bathroom, and rooms are clean. You have taken the time to add special touches throughout the house. Don’t forget that you want your guests to have restful sleep. Layer on the sheets and blankets. Don’t worry about adding too many. The guest can remove blankets if they get warm. Also, add a variety of pillows for comfort. If you don’t know how to choose a pillow, add a variety of thick and thin and leave it up your guest to decide which to use.

Clean Bathroom

The house should be clean before guests arrive, but take the time to pick up and touch up on certain areas. The house should look its best and the bathroom deserves some deep cleaning attention. Once the bathroom is clean and spotless, add a stack of clean fluffy towels, new soap, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, and don’t forget to leave new toothbrushes.

Declutter

As the host, it’s your job to make the houseguest feel comfortable. Take the time to remove personal or embarrassing objects. This can be a robe or any article of clothing. The guest should feel like they are in a hotel room. That means only their personal belonging should be in the room during their stay.

Thoughtful and Welcoming Touches

Place a vase of flowers in guestrooms along with a few bottles of water and a basket of snacks. It’s the small details that show guests that they matter and they will appreciate the thoughtful gestures. Some houseguests wake up early. Consider designating an area in the kitchen as a self-service coffee area. Place cups, filters, coffee, and creamer in this area and make it easy for early risers to make a cup of coffee without waking up other sleeping guests. Place croissants and doughnuts on a covered cake platter for houseguests that like to eat early.

Plan Ahead

As the host, you will have an easy and stress-free time if you make a schedule and know what meals to prepare and set a time for when they will be served. Plan a few activities or outings for guests, but make sure to leave guests enough free time for them to read, nap, or explore the city or town where you live. Ask your guests if they have something they have planned on doing while visiting you. 

Check For Allergies and Meal Restrictions

Make your meal planning easy by checking with guests for allergies and meal restrictions. You don’t want someone to go into anaphylactic shock and be rushed to the hospital because they ate something you served. Other people may have religious or lifestyle meal restrictions. Be sure to check with all your guests and provide a vegetarian or gluten-free meal option for guests that ask for this. This will not only make you seem thoughtful, but your guests will appreciate it and feel welcome during the holiday season.

The holiday season can be one of the happiest but also the most stressful times of the years. Make your life easier by preparing and planning during a houseguest stay at your house. A little preparation can make the holiday season go by smoothly with everyone enjoying themselves. Spend less time worrying and enjoy the time spent with friends and family.