With the holiday season upon us, many will be hosting grandparents, siblings or even a Cousin Eddie or two in the coming days. Getting your home ready for overnight guests can be overwhelming, to say the least, and you might not know where to start.
Here are a few pointers to help you get things ready and save your sanity.
Do a walk-through
After doing your routine cleaning, go through each room as if you’re performing an inspection.
Look for areas to clean that are easy to neglect, such as curtains, the range hood or refrigerator bins in the kitchen, or the front door, which is the first thing your company will see.
Guest in your own home
One great way to prepare your home is to try out the guest bed and bath for a night. This might help you discover things that need updating, such as flat pillows, a blown light bulb or a showerhead with low water pressure.
If space allows, add a luggage rack or chair to the bedroom for suitcases or clear some closet space for clothing. Think of little additions that could make guests feel more at home, like the Wi-Fi password and a charging cord at the bedside table and new, soft towels in easy view.
Consider adding a small basket with necessities they might have forgotten like toothbrushes, razors and tissues.
Stock the pantry
Check with your visitors before their arrival to find out favorite drinks and snacks to have on hand. Create a continental breakfast area in the kitchen with coffee supplies and quick breakfast items for guests who might wake up earlier than the rest of the household.
And while you might have dinners planned out in advance, it’s always a good idea to have the ingredients for an easy meal or two ready in case plans change and you need to whip up something fast.
Add sleep space
If the number of overnight guests is larger than your bed space, have children bunk up for a large slumber party in one or two rooms.
For additional beds, air mattresses have come a long way in recent years and can provide a good night’s rest.
If you have a sleeper sofa, consider upgrading to a memory foam mattress that will make it as comfortable as a regular bed.
Once you’ve waved goodbye to family and friends, if you discovered areas of your home you’d like to upgrade, visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga’s website at www.HBAGC.net for a full list of local professionals to help with home renovations.