While the temperatures in the south don’t necessarily signal it, fall is approaching quickly and the season of colored leaves, pumpkin-everything, and yummy-scented candles will replace our humid summer days. Not only that, but with the holiday season seeming to creep up more quickly every year, it’s only a matter of a blink in time before we’ll be planning kid Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving spreads, and Christmas-themed decor. With back-to-back holidays on the horizon, we’re also approaching the season of guests. Whether your visitors are welcome or unwelcome (we’re looking at you, fourth-cousin-we-met-once-fourteen-years-ago), it’s always a good idea to make your out of towners feel welcome and comfortable in your home. 

One of the first things we suggest is to make sure your guest-space is prepared early, if possible. Keep the room or area clean, considering the small details of cleanliness including room corners, light switches (have you ever noticed how many splotches and dirt spots appear on the switch covers? Not pretty!), blinds, and ceiling fans. Ultimately, you want the space to be as spotless and welcoming as possible, without unnecessary dust bunnies and allergens floating around. Plus, nothing would be more embarrassing or off-putting than having your guest discover a tiny, dead spider in the corner of a room while plugging in their phone to charger for the evening! We’ve learned that deep cleaning our guest room once a month and then performing quick “touch ups” is the best way to keep your extra space guest-ready all the time.

The next item on our list is to always keep extra supplies on hand within easily accessible areas for your guests. Go ahead and start your guest’s stay off with several extra towels, washcloths, pillows, and blankets waiting for them at the foot of the bed. This eliminates questions for you and makes your visitors feel at home right away. We also suggest putting together a small basket of toiletries, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, lotion, and soap. You can go the extra mile by also including a razor, shaving cream, a travel-sized container of contact solution and a contact case. These are items that are often forgotten during the rush of packing and are always nice to have on hand. Additionally, ensure your bathroom is well stocked with toilet paper, Q-tips, cotton balls, a hair dryer, and hair products. As with the extra towels and blankets, these items are always nice to have access to and will prevent your guests from needing to ask you for any essentials. 

Finally, consider all of the small details when prepping your guest space. Leave a stack of magazines, an alarm clock, extra phone blocks and chargers, a few books, a bedside lamp, the WiFi password, and — if possible — their own TV with access to cable, Netflix, Hulu or Amazon. Not only do these small touches provide your visitors with a private area to relax, but if they choose to wake up up earlier or hit the hay later than most, they are given the freedom to indulge in their own pastimes without interfering with the rest of the household. These may seem like small details, but again, each one provides your visitors with a small slice of their own domain and the freedom to interact as needed and desired.

Even if your guest-space is merely the pullout couch in the living room, you can still make the space homey and welcoming by providing your guests with the comforts of their own home. Simply put together a Rubbermaid “guest box” including the extra supplies and small details to help make his/her visit with your family the best it can be! Ultimately, you want your home to reflect as a place of comfortable rest and rejuvenation and creating space - no matter the size - for your guests to relax and feel at home is one of the top ways to do so.