Thoughtful Touches For House Guests

As someone who loves having family and friends stay with us (and having been treated to incredible homestays with friends and family), I thought it would be fun to share the quick checklist we go through to make our house guests feel extra welcome.

1. Create a Welcoming Guest Room

Little Touches

• A vase of flowers on the dresser \\ We ❤️ these AMAZON BUD VASES
• A welcome note for your guests saying how much you are looking forward to hosting them and all being together. If you have kids, let them get involved and help by making a drawing for the guest room – this will help them get excited about your visitors and learn hospitality from a young age! 
• A note with your wifi username and password. 
• A cozy robe + guest slippers \\ COZY ROBE and you can’t go wrong with these $39 MACHINE WASHABLE SLIPPERS from Parachute home.

BEDROOM MUST-HAVES

• A comfortable bed!  This is an investment, but it’s worth it if you want your guests to wake up refreshed and feeling great! A comfortable, well-made bed is so essential to making guests have a welcome stay!
  • Great Mattress
    • If you aren’t ready (or don’t have the space, like us!), we suggest getting a mattress topper to make the pull-out couch or air mattress that much more comfortable.
  • Soft Bed Linens \\ We LOVE THESE SHEETS
  • Fleece Blanket This is our trick to getting the sheets to be perfectly tight — making for an extra cozy bed \\ THE BEST FLEECE BLANKET
  • Beautiful Comforter 
• Towels + and washcloths – We like to leave these neatly folded in the room so that there aren’t any questions and they know exactly where they are when they are ready to get showered 
  • We’re all about the OVERSIZED BATH TOWELS
• A place to put their suitcase or bags, so they aren’t tripping over them. If you have a dresser & closet in the room, that’s great – make sure they are empty or clean enough so your guests don’t feel like they are tip-toeing around your things! 
  • \\ How gorgeous are these HARDWOOD LUGGAGE RACKS?
• A few EXTRA HANGERS in the closet 
• Box of tissues 
• A trash can 
• Have a few EXTRA PILLOWS + BLANKETS on the bed. Everyone has different comfort levels, and what you think might be enough might actually not be! Having a few extra pillows and throw blankets is thoughtful in case they get cold! 

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN TIDYING + PREPARING THE GUEST ROOM ROOM

• Is there a place to charge their phone + computer?
• Is there a place to hang a wet towel? Wet bathing suit? Bathrobe?
• Is there a mirror in the room somewhere?
• Do you have a bedside table and lamp for evening reading? Or maybe just a reading light? Guests are new to the space, so ample lighting goes a long way to make them feel more comfortable around the room. 
• Is there a clock or alarm clock?

2. Create a Clean + Relaxing Guest Bathroom

BATHROOM MUST-HAVES

Sometimes, guests forget things or don’t have the room to pack! Make them have a luxurious bathroom experience by ensuring the shower and toilet are super clean and providing these in the guest bathroom (or bathroom they will be using).  

• Shampoo + Conditioner
• Soap \\ THIS FOAMING BODY WASH is great because it feels extra special and luxurious! We always get the sensitive version for our guests if they have sensitive skin, plus this way, kids can use it too!  
• Body Lotion 
• Sunscreen \\ SPF is the best anti-aging ingredient; everyone should put it on EVERY day – even if you aren’t in a beach town, on the lake, or have a pool!
• Candle \\ THIS and THIS are always burning in our house
• Extra TOOTHBRUSHES + TOOTHPASTE
• Extra TOILET PAPER
• Toilet plunger Listen, we get it’s not the most beautiful thing to look at, but heaven forbid someone needs it; there’s nothing more awkward than having to ask!! Don’t risk putting your guest in this situation! 

3. Create a Fun Family Room

LIVING ROOM EXTRA TOUCHES

• Have books, magazines, and/or coffee table books available so they have something handy to pick up and flip through when relaxing.
• No playroom? No problem! You can keep kids and adults entertained by creating a designated fun zone for the in-between moments of the day.
  • We love to stock a basket full of:
    • a few DECKS OF CARDS
    • arts + crafts supplies \\ here are some EXCELLENT ART KITS and GREAT ART SUPPLIES
    • KIDS PUZZLES AND GAMES
  • Create a puzzle corner! Puzzles have been the gathering area during family get-togethers since I can remember. I can’t think of a better, more natural way to enjoy building something as a group and catching up on life simultaneously. 
    • a card table \\ THIS CARD TABLE LOOKS GOOD
    • ensure there is good lighting (so important!) 
    • BEAUTIFUL JIGSAW PUZZLES
• A basket full of extra comfy throw blankets + floor pillows 
• Games for the adults to play at night \\ We ❤️  HEARTS, CODENAMES and PICTIONARY

4. Create an Inviting Kitchen

Kitchen Tips + touches to ensure everyone is comfortable

ahead of time

• Ask guests if they have anything specific they want to eat or drink during their stay.
• Meal plan! I know it sounds a little micro-managed, but trust us, this is such a gift to yourself and your guests. Planning and shopping ahead of their visit will make you more relaxed and allow you to be with your guests more.
  • Extra Tip: We ❤️ the idea of posting (on the fridge) the menu and activities happening (with times!) so everyone is on the same page.

MUST – HAVES

• Make sure you have great coffee, tea, milk, + water on hand.
• Extra folding table or a table with leaves to ensure you have enough seating space
• Make sure you are well-stocked with wine, beer, + alcohol aligned with your guest’s favorites!

5. Create a Kid-Friendly Visit

Extra Touches

• Blackout shades for kid’s room \\ This is such a HUGE help to mamas and the kiddos to help them keep some semblance of the routine while traveling —  allowing the kids to fall asleep on schedule, get a great night’s sleep, and wake up happy 🙂 Don’t have blackout shade? Black trash bags and painter’s tape do the trick!
• Offer a PACK AND PLAY
• Offer a HIGH CHAIR or BOOSTER SEAT

We hope this checklist helps you organize your to-do list and gets you excited to welcome your next house guest(s). We can’t wait to hear what memories you create!