10 Stress-Free Ways to Prep Your Home for Guests in a Hurry

10 Stress-Free Ways to Prep Your Home for Guests

Do you have plans to host houseguests at your home for the upcoming holidays? Not everyone is blessed with Martha Stewart-like skills of being a perfect host, but it doesn’t take much to fake it!  You can prep your home for guests in a hurry with these tips and be ready to make your guests feel at home when they arrive.

Keeping things simple around the house is key!

Let’s Prep Your Home for Guests in a Hurry with These Tips

1. Clean Your Entryway

If you’re going to spend time cleaning any area, we highly recommend that you make this area the entryway and porch.  

This is the first place that your guests will see when they arrive and your first chance to make them feel at home.  Clean and declutter this space, so you make a good impression, and when they walk in, they will feel welcome without feeling crowded.

2.  Do a Quick Cleanup

Right before your guests are due to arrive, make a quick run through the house (15-30 minutes), picking up any laundry, shoes, toys, etc., that you might be cluttering the floor.  Quickly run the vacuum over your flour so that your house looks clean and ready for guests.  

A deep clean isn’t necessary if your home isn’t overly dirty.  The best way to keep it clean on an on-going basis are these Tips for a Clean House.

3.  Ask Ahead 

If you have any questions for your guests, such as inquiries as to allergies, favorite foods, routines, etc., ask them before they arrive.  If you have this information ahead of time, you can be prepared in advance and have things they may need on hand. 

This really makes them feel like you care.

4.  Prep a Basket of Easy Breakfast Items

This is one of our favorite ways to make our home special for guests.  

Place a basket on your kitchen table, island, or counter and fill it with simple breakfast foods.  It’s hard to prepare 3 meals a day when you’re entertaining guests and are likely busy throughout the day, so a quick on-hand breakfast is a nice touch.  

We like to make the following items available at this makeshift breakfast bar:

• fresh fruit
• homemade oatmeal bars
• packaged pastries
• cereal
• protein bars

And of course coffee!

5.  Make the Bed

Before your guests arrive, place clean linens on the bed and fluff the pillows. It takes just a few minutes to do, but your guests will feel very welcomed with this small touch. Extra pillows and blankets also make a room feel homey. 

Tip: If the sheets are clean, but haven’t been used in a while, place them in the dryer with a dryer sheet to freshen them up!

6.  Prep Your House for Guests by Clearing a Shelf or a Countertop

Clear a single shelf, table, or countertop off in the room that your guests will be sleeping in.  This will allow your guests a space to keep their suitcase and any personal items they are traveling with.

If you have time, clearing closet space is also a good idea.

7.  Set Out Clean Towels and Washcloths

Make sure that your guests know where they can find fresh towels and washcloths.  Even if you just set them out on the counter in the bathroom or at the end of their bed, this will go far to make them feel welcome.

8.  Light Some Candles

Have you ever heard that real estate agents suggest baking cookies when preparing to show a home?  

This is because a pleasant smell in a home can make all the difference and can make it seem more welcoming. 

If you have some soy wax candles, wax melts, or even some essential oils, light them up about an hour before your guests arrive for a great smelling house that helps make it feel fresh and inviting. 

Tip: Fresh flowers are also a great way to make the house smell good, and guests feel welcome. 

9.  Light Up the Fireplace

During the fall and winter, the warm ambiance of a fire is very soothing and welcoming. It not only keeps your house toasty, but it also creates a place for guests to gather once they arrive and are settled. 

10.  Play Some Background Music

Create a relaxed mood with some background music. If the guests are staying during the holidays, Christmas music is a festive touch. If not, something relaxing and turned down low so it’s just a little background ambiance is perfect.

One bonus tip we can offer is to get enough sleep the night before guests arrive. Being well-rested will help alleviate stress and make the visit more enjoyable for all! 

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