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Everything seems to be going a mile a minute here at our house, and I’m betting it’s that way at yours too. I’m busy preparing for our holiday party guests, as well as our overnight guests. Since we’ve moved around the country a lot, and have lived far from family and friends, it’s not uncommon for us to have guests during the holidays. Sometimes we’ve been those overnight guests.
I’ve broken down my habits and wishes to 5 easy steps so that you can make any guest feel at home. They all revolve around making a guest comfortable. My #1 tip though, is treating your house to a deep cleaning to make sure no one has to suffer from allergies and so that you can feel confident that your house is spic and span! One of my favorite items that I have invested in was my Bissell deep cleaner. I use it year round, not just for holiday cleaning. It’s a necessity with 4 boys. I’ve used it in the middle of the summer to clean up a spilled slushy, or even last week when my laundry room flooded.
Now is a great time to clean your carpets. Add it to your holiday prep list and make it a yearly tradition. All carpets love a little cleaning! Not only will you will your carpets look clean, the cleaning will last beyond the holidays. And your guests will thank you!
Now without further ado, my top 5 ways to make a welcoming home for your overnight guests:
1. Towels and Toiletries
A trick I learned a long time ago was to literally wrap up the guest towels like a present. Leave them in the bathroom with a note or on your guest bed. Everyone hates trying to figure out what towel they are suppose to be using! Nothing says comfort like freshly washed, folded towels, wrapped up with a bow! I also like to leave a basket of toiletries in the bathroom in case my guest might have left a toothbrush or sewing kit behind. Sample sizes work fine!
2. Wifi code / TV instructions
You’ve snuggled up into bed and your ready to look at your email before you go to bed. Maybe your cell service isn’t working, or you only have your laptop and suddenly you need the wi-fi password. It’s something homeowners refer to all the time and have memorized. We often forget to tell our guests, or have to repeat it 5 to 20 times. Make it easier on your guest (and you!) and place it in a frame or on a slip of paper over their door handle. They will thank you for it! It’s also a good idea to put directions for how to turn on the tv, dvd player, etc. Sometimes you might want to label the remotes with washi tape.
3. Snacks
Once again, it’s late, your in a different time zone and suddenly that sandwich from the airport is no longer tiding you over. Your hosts are asleep, and you don’t want to go sneaking around their kitchen in the dark. WHEW! Thank goodness they left you a snack basket! I try to always leave a snack basket with water and other beverages so my guests can snack if they need to without feeling like they are putting me out. It’s like the mini bar at a hotel——without the charge!
4. Coffee
I know this is really actually a beverage (and might fall under "snacks"), but coffee is another category in my mind. Set up an easy to maneuver coffee bar full of fun syrups, creamers and sugar packets. I love that hotels now seem to have the Keurig machines which makes picking a flavor for many people so much easier! I’d love to have one just for my guest room! Some guests would appreciate having their first cup in the privacy of their room. I think for the sake of everyone involved, it is best that I drink my coffee right away with little interruption. Ha!
I have a LOT of coffee recipes - many of which are used to satisfy a crowd, so if you have a lot of guests, be sure to check them out!
5. A clean guest room!
Like I said above, I adore my Bissell Deep Clean Upright Cleaner. I have the pet version because I have pets. It’s so easy to clean. That front part—it just pops off and you can rinse it and clean the brushes as well. The tank is just as easy to clean. I love that after vacuuming, I can make sure my carpets get really clean. Vacuuming alone isn’t enough. That’s where deep cleaning comes in. The cleaner works by placing a barrier on the surface of fibers to protect against future stains.
Even if your carpets weren’t treated from the start, you can help build in some protection using deep cleaning formulas with a protector. This means that when you have a spill, the liquid will stay at the surface longer so you have time to clean it up before the carpet is seriously damaged. That’s something I need with 4 boys!
Want even more ideas for entertaining guests? This post was so popular that I wrote a post on 5 MORE ideas for entertaining guests!
What's your favorite tip? Be sure to pin for later!
Teresa says
I would love to have a Bissell Upright. I have a spot bot, but with ten plus kids constantly flowing in and out of the door it takes a long time to get my deep cleaning complete.
Tj and Amy says
I recently had to call a professional cleaner in to clean up my sons throw up. I spent over 2 hours on my hands and knees trying to get it out and i could still smell the stench. I love that you can receive Professional Style Results and keep your carpet looking newer longer with a powerful deep cleaning system. I would stress out a ton less when my kiddos spill on the carpet. This would be an enormous help in our home. Thanks for the chance.
Ashley Kolpak says
I have a household full of pets, and there is always messes to clean up, being able to deep clean the carpet is a must, I need one of these!
Amanda Pennington says
With three little boys the small spot shot carpet cleaner I use just doesn't do the job anymore. This would be a blessing!
Gina @ MoneywiseMoms says
That wi-fi frame is brilliant!! What a great idea.
Stephanie Paxman says
We're buying a new house that has a whole lot more carpet than we currently have. I'm worried about keeping it clean, but this would do it!
Mary says
We have a lot of wall to wall carpeting in our house. A Bissel Deep Clean Upright would save me a lot of money having them professionally done.
Lindsay Fekitoa says
I'm going to need this for every surface in my household. This will save me a lot of money so I don't have to pay the professionals who can do the same job for a lot more!
Miss Kitty says
What a luxury to have a deep cleaning upright at my home all the time instead of renting one to clean the carpets before company comes! Love all of your tips for having company by the way!
Heather says
I have pets. What other reason do I need? 🙂
Clean this carpet! says
I would love to have a Bissell Upright. I had a spot bot, but with ten plus kids constantly flowing in and out of the door it takes a long time to get my deep cleaning complete.