Hosting House Guests Like A Pro Featuring Kate Of Goldman Guest Experience
‘Tis the Season For Hosting
And friends, this is the ULTIMATE guide for hosting house guests this holiday season and beyond!
When I think of hosting guests during the holidays, I can’t help but find my mind immediately jumps to the comical and beloved holiday movie, Christmas Vacation.
Specifically the scene where Audrey and Ellen are in the kitchen cooking and Audrey is complaining about the sleeping arrangements with their house guests.
Relish in this with me for a moment, won’t you?
Audrey : [Peeling a carrot] Would it be indecent to ask the grandparents to stay at a hotel?
Ellen : Audrey!
Audrey : Well can we at least forbid them to answer the phone? Alexander called this morning and grandpa Clark told him... I couldn't come to the phone 'cause I was going to the bathroom.
Ellen : We're all making sacrifices, Audrey.
Audrey : Everybody? Do you sleep with your brother? Do you know how sick and twisted that is, mom?
Ellen : [Grabs a box of matches off the fridge] Well, I'm sleeping with your father. Don't be so dramatic.
Audrey : I have nightmares about what he does in his bed alone when I'm not lying right next to him.
Ellen : Well, I don't know what to say, except it's Christmas and we're all in misery.
While the scene’s slapstick humor about hosting nightmares makes for a great movie night. None of us want to live this in real life.
How To Host Like A Pro… From A Pro!
As we enter this season, I wanted to put together a guide to help you as you prepare to welcome guests into your home for the holidays. These tips and tricks are intended to create an environment where your guests will feel blissfully welcome and where you all can enjoy eachother’s company as well as your own personal space. And, you get to keep your sanity!
As you may know by now, one of my favorite parts of this blog is highlighting fellow female entrepreneurs who are doing amazing things - #femaleilluminators. As I started writing this post, I thought of my friend Kate, who owns Goldman Guest Experience and immediately knew I needed to run my list by her and have her put her magic touch on it!
Kate is truly the hostess with the mostess and such a light in my life. Her knack for making those around her feel important, comfortable and welcomed is a true gift. She has found her calling sharing this talent with the world in the form of Goldman Guest Experience.
Kate is a Vacation Rental Consultant and her job is to help owners of vacation rental properties strategize how to create exceptional guest experiences. In turn, leading to happier guests and more profitability for them. I think this is the coolest job!
So, as I started creating this list, I just knew I had to call Kate, the Hospitality Queen, and have her put her professional eyes on it to help me really take it to the next level! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to know her, to share her with you and to create this guide together for you.
I’ve broken this down by areas of the home for easy referencing and note taking. Take what makes sense for you and leave the rest! So, let’s get to hosting!
In General
Clear all of the clutter. Begin by taking a trip through your home and clear all of the clutter. Less clutter leads to a more relaxed mind and in the hustle and bustle of the holidays (or life in general) this is a healthy practice. Especially as guests bring more items into your own, it can help the addition of extra people and things feel less burdensome
Create private areas for your guests in the rooms they will use most. This is especially important if your guests will be staying in areas that aren’t designated bedrooms or spaces with a closing door to give them privacy. Ensuring they have a private space for changing and the use of room dividers and/or screens can help with this.
Take the time to do a thorough deep cleaning and make your home fresh and bright. This is a good time to get out those brushes and scrub the grout, wipe down baseboards, steam clean the carpets etc and perhaps put a little extra effort into your normal cleaning routine. Your house will thank you back. Doing this ahead of time can help you feel confident when your guests arrive and allow you to relax and enjoy their company vs. worrying about tasks that need to be done.
Have a good playlist on hand. Music always helps set the scene and can create the mood you hope to instill in your guests.
Good lighting is one of the most important things in a home. Take this opportunity to replace any burnt out lightbulbs around the house. Placing nightlights down the hallways will assist your guests in finding their way to the restroom etc. in the evening.
Candles are a nice way to enrich the senses and add the glow of ambient light.
An oil diffuser can help with toxins in the air as well as create a deliciously scented environment.
Give your guests a little orientation of how things go around the house, and everyone will have an easier time. Show guests where trash goes, vs recycle. Show them where to get drinking water from. Warn them about how to not let the dog out the front door, only the back. Clue them in on the handle jiggle on the toilet so it stops running. These little details can help keep everyone out of each other’s hair, even if just for an extra day or two.
Entry
Making sure porch lights are working creates a welcoming atmosphere as well as eliminates any safety concerns as guests arrive in the evenings.
A fresh welcome mat at your front door is a nice way to welcome your guests and add a pretty little detail to your entry.
A shoe basket at the front door allows guests to remove their shoes, preserve your carpets and gives a welcome that encourages them to get comfortable and stay a while. If you have a basket you already use for this, removing any of your personal shoes from it (or minimizing them) allows your guests to feel like it is a space created just for them.
Give coats a home by clearing out a space in a closet or adding a coat tree/hooks by the front door.
Guest Bedroom
Fresh linens on the beds are imperative. No one wants to arrive to sleep in dirty sheets. Parachute is my favorite source for textiles and their linen sheets are my favorite kind. Warm in the winter and breathable in the summer, they are perfect year round.
A bottle of linen spray on the bedside table is a nice way to allow guests to indulge their senses. If you know your guests aren’t sensitive to fragrance, you could pre-spray the linens ahead of time.
Having extra blankets on hand is the perfect way to give an extra layer of cozy if your guests are chilly
An assortment of pillows, or at least enough pillows for your guests to not have to haul their own, is a really lovely gesture and ensures comfort
Bedside tables are a space to be thoughtful about what your guests might need. Make sure the reading lights on them work. Supply an extra phone charger. A glass for water or a water bottle placed on the bedside table allows your guests to grab a drink without having to leave the room when they have already put on their pajamas. Coasters on the tables to accompany the drinks will help preserve your furniture. I often use lip balm at night or moisturizer on my hands and this would be a lovely little addition for them to already have in place.
Books and magazines at the ready are a nice option for guests to peruse while winding down for bed.
Black out shades can be helpful to help with sleep quality.
Eye masks for sleep are a thoughtful touch if the room doesn’t have darkening shades.
An alarm clock in the room will allow guests to set any wake ups they need without the need to be plugged into their phone. Since the holidays are often a time that many choose to be “off-line” spending time together, this is a great way to help your guests do this.
Having space for clothing to be stored outside of the suitcase is really wonderful if it is possible, especially for long term guests. A dresser, or even a drawer in a dresser and a closet or space in a closet that is designated for your guests is a really thoughtful touch.
A steamer or iron at the ready is helpful with those post travel wrinkles.
Hooks for hanging jackets, towels, bags etc. are a really nice amenity. Look around your room to see if this is something you need to add. For temporary use, just grabbing a pack of command hooks works well.
Providing bathrobes and slippers are definitely a luxe touch, but if you really want to go for a Five Star experience this is the crème de la crème. If it is the holiday season that you are hosting, maybe these could be a fun pair of fuzzy socks or holiday slippers.
Having a fan, white noise machine or earplugs on hand are things that can really help with sleep quality and allow your guests to continue getting quality zzz’s while away from home. This especially can assist with children who may need to go down for a nap in the middle of the day.
A humidifier is something that many people have on hand and while this doesn’t need to actually be in the bedroom for your guests, you could let them know that you have one if they’d like it.
Providing a laundry bag or basket for guests to place dirty laundry in is super thoughtful.
A full length mirror in the guest room is highly recommended. If guests are using a room that is not usually dedicated for guest usage, check to see that there is a full length mirror it in it already. If not, adding an inexpensive one is really lovely.
A bluetooth speaker in the bedroom is a nice touch to allow your guests to listen to their own playlists before bed or as they wake up.
A little welcome note on the bed can be such a sweet gesture to make your guests feel incredibly thought of and welcome.
Bathroom
Keep extra trash bags in the garbage can in the bathroom for easy changing.
Providing your guests with fresh towels in an assortment of sizes (bath sheets, hand towels, wash cloths) gives them all of the essentials needed for post shower drying off and face washing.
Providing a number of bathroom items in travel sizes that your guests are able to use and then take with them, is one of my favorite ideas. This allows you not to have to purchase large sizes and they have their own products rather than using yours, if you choose. It shows that you really put a lot of thought into making their stay comfortable. It is easy to find travel size items such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body poufs, qtips, cotton rounds, make up remover sheets, lotion, deodorant, soap, toothbrush, tylenol/advil, feminine products, lip balm, mints etc. Throw them all into a cute basket and your guests have a lovely little place to go for the essentials. And when they leave, simply replace what was taken to be ready for the next guests!
Keep extra toilet paper in the bathroom at the ready so that guests aren’t left stranded on the toilet when it runs out!
Hanging a bundle of eucalyptus in the shower is great if you want to go for a full on spa feeling and the ultimate relaxation. Grab a bunch of it at Trader Joes for a few bucks!
Kitchen
Providing easily accessible food/beverages for your guests is the number one most hospitable thing to do in the kitchen. No one wants to go digging through someone else’s pantry trying to find something to eat. Having designated baskets of snacks in the pantry, fridge or on the counter for guests to easily grab is really thoughtful and will help them feel comfortable eating something they know is specifically for them.
Make sure to have kid friendly snacks on hand if you are hosting kiddos!
Offering guests their favorite morning beverage is a really nice way to make people who are traveling feel more at home. Having their coffee just how they like it, or the same tea they usually wake up with, available while traveling is pretty special, can help them feel welcome and a little more "at home." It might take simply asking guests before they arrive what they prefer so you can stock up. Bonus points for offering guests a locally roasted (fair trade) pot of coffee so they can taste the local flavor!
Keeping a single serve coffee maker, like a Keurig, on hand is a simpler version of the above suggestion. This is a really nice way for guests to be able to grab a cup of coffee when they’d like to and you don’t have to be bothered with making a whole pot! Supplying a few varieties also helps cover a range of preferences.
Keep any dietary restrictions and/or allergies top of mind when meal and snack planning to make sure you have something for everyone.
Special Amenities
If you have the space and ability to keep some of the baby essentials on hand like a pack and play, baby monitor, high chair, bouncer etc. it will feel like the most gracious form of welcome and thoughtfulness new parents can feel! As a mama, I know how challenging it can be to travel with kids and haul all of the essentials they need. Not having to pack these items (especially if flying) would be a HUGE relief.
Baby gates are helpful to have on hand for guests with children and pets. If there are certain areas (or stairs) you’d like to make sure are not visited by either of the above, placing a baby gate up is a great solution.
Having a few toys or items for kid entertainment on hand will make the days smoother and give small hands specific things to get into, instead of other things around the home that might be less kid friendly.
Keeping extra sweaters or warm socks on hand for anyone who might be chilly during the winter months is really thoughtful. Soft layers create the ultimate coziness!
Planning a private space in the home, especially if you don’t have a designated guest room, for diaper changing and breastfeeding will make any new parent extremely grateful
Creating a small sign with a QR code for easy scanning and wifi access is a simple way to keep this information handy and eliminate the number of times you have to repeat that long string of letters and numbers the wifi password often is. Kate gives you the tutorial on just how to do this here.
Stovetop potpourri enriches the senses and is the ultimate holiday hygge. Simmer some on your stove in just a few minutes flat and the whole house will be smelling of the holidays. The Pioneer Woman has some great recipes.
If you’d like to create a little welcome bag of goodies for guests upon their arrival, sourcing items crafted by local artisans like popcorn and chocolate can make your guests feel though of and welcome from the moment they arrive.
There you have it folks! The ultimate guide on how to host your guests like a pro this holiday season! I hope you find this list to be helpful and insightful as you prepare to welcome your guests this week!
Did you catch the rest of the Holiday Series?
Don’t forget to hop back to any of these if you missed the beginning of this holiday series.
A Huge Thank You
A huge, special thank you to Kate for polishing my list and putting her professional sparkle on it!
Make sure you are following along with Kate and Goldman Guest Experience as she shares all kinds of amazing vacation rental properties, tips, tricks and professional insight. She’s a wealth of knowledge and I’m so glad to have her in my circle! Thank you Kate!
Happy Holidays To My Readers
And with that, my friends, I am signing off for Christmas with my family and wishing you the most wonderful time celebrating with your loved ones. I am so grateful that you are here and a part of our community. See you in the new year with all kinds of goodness coming your way!
