Organizing for Holiday House Guests

Community Manager — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:26:00 GMT

Holidays are best celebrated with family and close friends but when loved ones are far-flung, togetherness often means hosting house guests. If your home is doing double duty as a hotel this holiday season, read our tips for creating a welcoming atmosphere (and one that preserves your sanity!)

My Home is Your Home: Signal your open-arm welcome by creating dedicated space for guests. Banish clutter from your guests' quarters, whether it's a spare bedroom or another area of your home. Use attractive bags, bins and trunks to temporarily capture odds and ends.

When quarters are tight and you don't have a dedicated guest room, create space by supplying luggage racks that help house overnight bags which lets them double as dressers. Likewise, by simply supplying hangers on the back of a door, you create a spot for guests to stash their stuff.

Ease bathroom congestion by offering your guest canvas duffel outfitted with fresh towels and travel toiletries that they can tote to and from the bathroom. For more ideas, read Good Housekeeping's Easy Organizing: Hosting Guests.

Making a List, Checking it Twice: Think through your houseguests' needs before they arrive with this handy checklist from the über-organized folks at Real Simple. Suggested items to have handy include a spare house key, maps and travel tips for your neighborhood, as well as must-have, yet often-forgotten toiletries.

The Extra Mile: Leave it to the ultimate hostess Martha Stewart to suggest special touches for visitors that bring a five-star hotel vibe to even a simple sofa-bed. Tips from Martha include leaving foil-wrapped chocolates and a carafe of chilled water bed side. Don't have a carafe lying around? Use a short water glass inverted over a tall, slim one. For more inventive Martha tips, read here.

Happy hosting!

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Organizing for Holiday House Guests