How to Prepare for Holiday House Guests
They are coming over for the holidays, and they are bringing more than just presents. That’s right, your relatives along with their kids, their stuff, and lots of stress! However, you CAN be prepared! This year your holiday dinners will be stress free! The following tips will give you some simple ways to get yourself prepared ahead of time!
- Clean off your dining table today! I don’t mean the night before, do it today (or at least start). Start finding a permanent home for each item that has accumulated on your dining room table. Chances are the same items end up there again and again because they don’t have a permanent home within your home. Involve the whole family as most of the time, clutter on the dining table belongs to more than just one person. Once you have the table cleaned off, put a centerpiece on it, or a nice tablecloth and dishes. Make sure it does not accumulate stuff before your dinner party!
- Get the dishes ready. If you use special serving dishes or holiday dishes, start taking them out now and get them washed. Use the dining room table as a staging ground to keep them until the holiday.
- Clean the house room by room. Pick a room each day or a few rooms each week. Or schedule a special session with your normal cleaning service. Don’t wait until the night before everyone arrives to start cleaning.
- Take inventory of your guest bedroom. Can your guests sleep in there comfortably? Does the room need to be cleaned? This is a great time to get the room organized, and to throw out and donate some of the items that have found their way into your guestroom.
- Create a friendly environment for your guests. Lay out guest towels, bathrobes, magazines, mints, maps (for your out of town guests), and water for your guests. Provide your guests with enough information so that they can enjoy your geographic area without assistance from you. Make sure they are familiar with phone and Internet access at your home as well.
- Be prepared to spend time with your relatives. Do your cleaning and preparation ahead of time so you can spend time relaxing and visiting, and not in the kitchen. If your relatives will be around for a number of days, make dinner reservations at a local restaurant so you can take a night and all relax together.
- If you don’t have a guest room, prepare a sleeping space for your guests, and make sure your family knows that it is to be treated as a bedroom while they are there. Also give them a private place to change and wash up. If you don’t have space for relatives at all, do a little research and provide your relatives with local hotel information.
- Ask your guests if they have any special dietary needs before they arrive. This will help you avid any last minute trips to the grocery store.
- Have gifts wrapped and ready to distribute before your guests arrive. They are lots of fun to shake and look at for the kids in your family. This will also allow you to spend time with your family instead of locked up in your bedroom wrapping presents!
- Remember to enjoy your company. Sharing your home can be stressful, but by cleaning and organizing in advance, you can have a relaxing time visiting with those you love!
