Having guests come stay the night can be equal parts heart-warming, exciting, and stress-inducing. Go grab your paper bag (you know, in case you hyperventilate) and we’ll walk through a few simple things you can do to make it easy to help your overnight guests feel at home in all of the right ways.

Storage

Give your guests a clearly defined place for your guests to put their shoes, coats, and bags. This will help keep your home in order with your guests around, and it will also help them remember their things when it’s time to go! Do this by hanging a coat hook by the front door, or providing a little extra space or a few hangers in a closet for them.

Towels

Nothing can be more stressful than having to wash all of the things for guests… But what if it’s clean, but still looks a little scary? I personally have a set of four (cheap) white towels that are only (well, mostly only) used when guests come over. (They have stayed pretty white!) Make it clear to your family that those things are only for guests and not for regular use. This way, when guests want to come by and you are short on time, you will be prepared with what they need and won’t be embarrassed with stained stuff!

I love using guest towels as my “decorative towels”… in other words, they are the clean and pretty towels that sit perfectly on my shelf. I store my every day towels for my kids in a basket that masks all of the odd colors, but also provides a few extra towels for guests if needed as well.

Hygiene Products

Stock extra toilet paper, soap, toothbrushes, feminine products, and soap to make sure you are ready for anything. Putting a few of these items in a cute basket in the bathroom is a great way to give your guests what they may have forgotten without them having to ask.

Beds and Bedding

Many of us aren’t lucky enough to have a dedicated guest room, but there are still a few ways that you can have a comfy place for them to sleep. If you have an office, consider a murphey bed or even an air mattress. To improve the feel of your air mattress, lay a foam pad on top and add a matress pad and comfortable bedding. Or, try a folding sofa or futon in your living room. I had a friend who transformed their uncomfortable sofa bed by laying a thick foam pad on top as well. Younger guests can get by on an inexpensive foam pad from the hardware store. Make a cover for it with some cheap sheets and it can double as a fun fort-making toy for your kids!

In our home, we have two different twin-sized trundle beds for my daughters’ rooms. My favorite includes a pop-up trundle bed that pops up to the same height as the daybed. We get really fancy by pushing (and tying) the two mattresses together and laying down a foam insert and King-sized bedding to make a King-sized bed for our guests. My in-laws said it was great! I love that I can have the two matresses separate as twins or together as a king for visiting couples.

Clean Up!

If you have the time and desire, use guests as a great excuse to deep clean your home. Or, if you’re swamped with reality, focus your energy on the bathrooms, their sleeping space, and the kitchen (in that order… or in order of scariest to least scary, haha!). Click here for your FREE CLEANING CHECKLISTS to help you deep clean for guests!

We recently stayed at an adorable AirBNB that was well designed, comfortable, and (mostly) clean… I say mostly because there were a couple of dead spiders lying around that my daughter was sure to not miss. Because she was in a different space, her senses were heightened and she noticed every little thing. While we sometimes get use to our own grime, when we take the time clean, we will realize it was probably about time… (At least that’s how it is for me! The problem is I start and then see all of the things and can’t stop. Hence, the prioritizing!)

The bathroom is the place where people are extra vulnerable and really need a place for all of the things. So, clear a shelf or the counter to give your guests a place for their make-up, razers, or what have you… er… they.

Tech

If you have a little extra time and want to be even fancier, you can print or write down your wifi info and put it in a picture frame or cute sign in your guest’s room so they can easily get connected. Or, put a smart speaker in their space to serve as an alarm, white noise, or music to help them fall asleep. Whatever you do, be sure to leave an extra outlet for them to charge their phone!

Food

Do your guests have any special dietary needs? Send a quick text to your guests and get a list of foods they like or can’t eat before they come. You may decide to go easy on yourself and buy some more expensive pre-made items that fit their needs so you don’t need to worry about preparing special diet-friendly meals for them and so you can enjoy quality time with them.

Good Company

All of these elements ultimately build up to support the atmosphere that you hope to have as a host or hostess. (If you’re really wanting to improve the overall look and feel of your home, be sure to check out the Hum Making Planner!)

At the end of the day, your people want you. So, clear your schedule and get ready for some late-night talks, last-minute adventures, and maybe a restaurant or two so you can make the memories that matter. And, if you know that certain things stress you out, be willing to lay forth appropriate boundaries or take a break in your room as needed (without guilt!). Do what you need to do to show up as your best self for your guests and everyone will feel more comfortable.

What things do you do for your guests? Or, what things do you love as a guest?