The whole point of inviting people to stay in your home is to enjoy spending time together. However, even if you have known each other for years and love being in each other’s company, sharing your home can still be a challenge. If you want to be the most welcoming and impressive host, here are some top secrets you should know.
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Stock the Kitchen Ahead of Time
Food is such an important part of spending social time with other people. Inviting someone to your home often involves sharing food, especially food that you have prepared for them.
Here are some ideas about how you could stock up your kitchen for guests:
- Ask if any of the guests have food allergies you need to be aware of;
- Find out what everyone’s drink of choice is;
- Purchase ingredients for a main meal together;
- Don’t be judgemental of any picky eaters;
- Keep a wide variety of simple snacks in the cupboard so that guests are never left feeling hungry.
Keep Everything Spotlessly Clean
While guests in your home are unlikely to react negatively to a bit of untidiness, it is important that they feel like they can relax in a clean and hygienic setting. Make sure that the bathrooms they will have access to are clean, as well as all of their bedding and towels. Keeping other spaces clean is important too, but the main point is to ensure that your guests’ areas are immaculate.
Think of the Little Touches
Being an amazing host isn’t just about following all the rules and being exceptionally clean. It’s also about having fun and being playful, letting your guests know that they can relax. Unique touches like learning how to make a fun towel swan for your bed and the beds for your guests can make a brilliant impression. Make sure that the toiletries are topped up in their bathrooms and that they have access to your internet should they need it. Showing that you were thinking of them is a surefire way to impress your guests.
Give Guests Their Space
It is one matter to anticipate your guests’ needs and meet them, but it is another entirely to overwhelm them with your presence. Although they have come to stay with you to spend time with you, this doesn’t mean that every waking moment needs to be shared. Some guests might love hanging out with you while you go about your usual routine, while others might prefer to take some alone time every now and then – depending on the length of their stay, of course. Guests can sense when a host is going too far out of their own way on the guests’ behalf, which can make them feel uncomfortable or guilty, so avoid overstretching yourself in the pursuit of becoming the ideal host.
There is plenty of scope for you to test out your own hosting style and find your own rhythm, but these simple tips should help you create a welcoming atmosphere for your guests.