Homestead Holidays Magazine Homestead Holidays Winter 2016/2017 | Page 16

Keeping the Home

Hosting house guests, whether planned or unplanned, can go off without a hitch and make your guests feel right at home in your guest quarters, if you take the time to plan ahead and prepare the space to receive them.

Cleaning:

We will assume that your guest space is generally clean and in good order, fully equipped with a bed, night stand and dresser or closet space available for guest use. A small trash bin is also assumed.

1.Remove any clutter that may have accumulated in this room. Return objects to their rightful places in your home, or deposit in the trash.

2.Dust mop or vacuum the floor, including the baseboards. Check the ceiling corners for cobwebs and remove any.

3.Wipe the night stand, dresser and any other surfaces that collect dust. If there is a TV, mirror or windows, wipe them as well.

4.Freshen the bedding and pillows; wash and replace if necessary, or turn back the comforter and blankets to air the sheets and spritz with linen spray in a neutral or light scent. If your guests have allergies, a fragrance free linen spray will be best. Let the bed air out, then remake the bed. Fold an extra blanket at the foot of the bed.

5.Empty the trash and replace the trash bag. Place the trash can in an easily accessible, but out of the way location. (we want to be able to find it, but do not need to look at it all the time.)

When staging a guest room, you want to keep your guest’s ease and comfort in mind. You will want to provide bath linens, tissues, a lamp for reading, charging port for phones, and even as far as a selection of snacks and bottled water. It is up to you how far you take the staging; just keep in mind that however much you do decide to put into staging, do it with thoughtfulness and care and your guests will feel it.

You may choose to set bath linens in the guest bedroom or it the guest bathroom. If the bath is to be shared, I find it useful to set the linens in each guest’s bedroom to ensure that each guest has fresh towels and knows which ones are hers.

Guest rooms that are strictly for guests, and do not serve multiple purposes can be cleaned and pre-staged so that when company arrives you are ready within a moment's notice.

1. Bath linens and travel size toiletries can be placed in a basket on top of the nightstand or dresser, or other reachable flat surface. Assume two towels, two wash cloths and one hand towel per guest, per night. (I usually replace linens for my guests each day, so I’m only setting one night’s worth of linens at a time.)

a. Travel size toiletries are a thoughtful addition to the bath linens basket, especially if you know what products your guests usually use. It can also be fun to select something that might be new to them from a boutique or artisan soap maker that you enjoy. If you choose to set toiletries, you need only do it on the first night of the visit.

2. A luggage stand, if you have one, is a great item to place in the guest room. If not, a chair might suffice. At any rate, be sure to let your guest know where to put her things; leave hangers on the bar in the closet, and show her the drawers she may use for her folded items.

3. On the night stand, a small reading lamp, or a book light will be useful, along with a charging port for phones, an alarm clock, and a new box of tissues. You may choose to place a selection of recent magazines, a word search or crossword puzzle book, Sudoku, or other puzzle and brain teaser books in a magazine box at the bedside. Be sure to tuck a pencil or two into the pages of puzzle books.

4. If there is a TV in the room, place the remote control and a brief listing of channels available, not to mention any special instructions in the event that there are multiple remotes or a specific order to turning the power on.

Houseguests 101: The Basics

16

Preparing for House Guests