When you have family coming to stay, you can feel under immense pressure to not only perform the required tasks but to be an accommodating hostess too.
So much so, that sometimes, we can let the stress get to us. In reality, it’s not always an easy situation to deal with, but it can be enjoyable if you want it to.
To make the experience pleasurable, it helps to plan ahead. It is possible to wow your guests will minimal effort and zero stress is your prepare in the right way.
The next time you say yes to hosting guests for any period, just remember these vital steps.
Prepare Their Living Quarters
The first thing that you’re going to want to do is prepare the space where they will stay.
Even if they’re not coming for a few weeks, if you get your guest rooms ready with fresh sheets and anything they may need during their stay, you’re ticking a big part off of your list nice and early.
At this stage, the trick to getting it done well is to think about the things that you would need if you were visiting anyone and go from there.
Invite Strategically
If you have the dates that you’re family members are visiting, you can save yourself a lot of worry by planning in some activities in advance.
If there are relatives or friends close by that your guests might not have seen in some time, or have not met yet; you’ve now got the perfect excuse to get everyone together.
Plan a dinner party and make sure everyone is available on the same date. That way, you have some entertainment ready for a few days after your guests arrive.
Create a Schedule
Depending on how long your family is planning on staying in time, they might want to get out and see the sites.
If that’s the case, it can be thoughtful of you to prepare a schedule of local events that are on during their stay, or even pick up pamphlets on local attractions that they might want to visit.
The chances are, your kindness will impress them, and they’ll be grateful for your efforts.
Treat Them & Yourself
When you’re guests get into town, you may wish to take them out.
If you have lots of people staying, it can be difficult to cater for them night after night, but you may not want them to feel like they have to feed themselves.
So, treating them to a luxury dining experience, especially on their last night is a great close to any visit. Not only will their stay be memorable, but you get to enjoy the reward too.
Cover All Your Bases
Finally, you’re going to want to think about yourself in your guests’ situation. If you were going to visit family, what might you need?
Or, more importantly, what might you forget to bring with you but could use?
Whether you choose to layout toiletries, order in their favorite snacks or foods or stock up on extra medicines, thinking outside of the box could be the difference between being a good hostess and an excellent one.
