Make Your House Guests Comfortable

Having house guests or being a house guest is not always the most comfortable thing. It can be better though if you follow the tips on this page.

Make it easier for all involved by considering your guests' needs or even what you might want to bring with you when visiting someone's home. Don't let awkwardness interfere with what should be an enjoyable visit.

There are many things you can do to make your house guests and you feel more comfortable and at home during what can be an uncomfortable time for everyone. Though having guests over can make you stressed, make the guests feel unsettled, and grate on everyone's nerves, preparing beforehand can make having house guests something to enjoy, or at least not hate.

The most important thing about having guests over is to make sure everything is clean. No one wants to stay in a dirty house, sleep in a dirty bed, or use a dirty bathroom.

Stale or dirty sheets and blankets are not conducive to a relaxing night's rest.

Make sure the bedding is freshly washed and smells good.

Try to use a hypoallergenic soap that doesn't have too strong of a smell. More and more people are becoming allergic to laundry soaps and strong scents can make it difficult to rest.

Add two pillows for each person that will be staying in the guestroom.

Many people, especially older guests like to have two pillows to sleep with because of health issues. And everyone loves snuggling into a gentle slumber with nice pillows. So make sure that each guest has two pillows and that they are in good shape, not old, flat ones.

Sleeping on bad pillows can make even the nicest of people grouchy by the morning. Aren't you grouchy when you have a kink in your neck?

A good comforter makes one feel warm and cozy no matter what else the room looks or feels like. Good ones will be warm and cozy to keep your guests warm during the night and happy.

Remember, guest rooms are often some of the coldest in the house because heating systems don't always apply to them well.

Leave extra blankets in the guest bedroom also. Either put them off to the side or on foot of bed or in the closet. This will let your guests keep warm if they get cold in the middle of the night.

Make sure the bed your guest will be using is comfortable.

Usually old, icky mattresses get stuck in the guestroom, but no one wants to sleep on those old things. If you have a hard, old, or lumpy mattress, consider replacing it. If you can't, add a mattress pad to make it a bit more comfortable.

Lights next to the bed are important, so your guests don't have to stumble to the bed and can relax and read in bed if they wish.

It's nice to have at least one lamp with switch somewhere the guest can reach from bed since crossing an unfamiliar room in the dark is something to be avoided. We don't want any accidents.

We love our pets, but not everyone does, so keep your furbabies out of the guest bedroom.

This will give your guest a place to get away from most of the cat hair and slobbery kisses and help prevent the accidents that sometimes occur when someone new smelling comes into the house.

In a strange bed, in a strange house, surrounded by strange sounds and lights, it can be hard to fall to sleep. Make it easier for your guests to get a good night's rest with a set of earplugs and a nightmask.

If some light creeping in the blinds or some strange sound you've gotten used to bothers them, they can still get some sleep.

It can be difficult to sleep in an unfamiliar place. Give your guests something to do without making them worry about disturbing you, by leaving a few books in the guest bedroom for them to read.

Try to have a variety, since people like to read different things. You may also wanted to put out a selection of magazines and perhaps the newspaper.

Add a fan and a space heater to the room. Some people run cold and some people tend to be hot. They'll need ways to adjust their room temperature.

Make sure the top couple of dresser drawers are empty, your visitors will want to put their clothes somewhere.

Also check the closet, there should be plenty of sturdy hangers and space for your guests to put their clothes.

Guest closets often end up full of household junk so make sure it isn't in the way of your guest.

Stay overnight in the guest room and see how it feels.

Does the light come in really bad in the morning? Is the room cold?

I skipped this step once and had forgotten that I had a few chickens penned right outside. Sadly, my guests found out that my roosters liked to crow right outside the window of the guestroom early in the morning.

Spending the night in the guestroom can reveal things just looking at it won't.

• Clean and Fresh Bedding on Bed
• Add Extra Pillows
• Add a Good Comforter
• Add Extra Blankets
• Check the Mattress to See if Comfortable
• Add Lamps Next to Bed
• Don't Let Pets Inside the Room
• Put an Alarm Clock on the Nightstand
• Add Some Earplugs and a Nightmask
• Books and Magazines in the Room
• Bottles of Water in Room
• Add a Fan and/or a Space Heater
• Tissues on the Nightstand
• Ensure There's Space in the Closet and Add Hangers
• Check for Space in the Drawers
• Stay in Room Overnight to Check It Out

It's awkward to walk around in a towel in someone else's house, but no one likes putting on clothes while still damp.

Leave a robe for your guest to use if they need to leave their bedroom after they've changed into their nightclothes or they need one after their shower. There's no replacement for the comfort of a warm, cozy robe.

You may want to put a nice note on the robe letting your guest know he or she can use it while they are visiting.

If your shower taps are complicated, type up instructions on how to use them.

Some showers don't have hot and cold markings and it's not always obvious if one should pull or twist the knobs.

Make sure especially to include how to adjust the temperature and how to change it from bath to shower.

If there is a certain way to plug the bath include that as well.

Make sure there are plenty of towels available for your guests to use.

You'll want at least two handtowels, two bath towels, and two washcloths for them to use.

Make sure the towels are clean and not stale smelling. Also, use your nicer ones, none that are ragged or mismatched if you can avoid it.

Check to make sure the drinking glass in the bathroom is clean and actually there. For some reason, they seem to disappear or be gross.

Also, check on the other pieces of your bathroom set. Is the toothbrush holder usable? Does the soap holder have soap in it? Is there liquid soap available?

Leave extra toiletries in the bathroom in case your guests forgot something.

Put a new toothbrush in there, some toothpaste, lotion, and chapstick.

Make sure a plunger is in the bathroom. No one wants to ask for one in a panic and having to clean up a mess is not going to make anyone happy.

Make sure there are mirrors available in the guest room and in the bathroom and that at least one of them is full-length.

Many people like to blow dry their hair, make sure the guest bathroom has a blow dryer handy.

Also make sure to plug it in and see if it works. Sometimes blow dryers use too much power and will set off circuits or over time stop working.

• Let Guests Use a Robe
• Fresh Soap in the Bathroom and Shower
• Slippers are Nice
• Shower Tap Instructions
• Put Our Plenty of Clean Towels
• Make Sure Cup is Next to Sink and Clean
• Add Spare Toiletries
• Lots of TP in the Bathroom
• Plunger in the Bathroom
• At Least One Mirror
• Don't Forget the Blow Dryer

Add a tag to any foods you'd rather your guest not snack on. This is especially important if you are saving something for the holidays.

Or if most of the stuff in your fridge is stuff you'd rather they not eat, add a tag to things that are okay for them to snack on.

It's extremely important to know what your guests can and will eat before they come to stay. Don't risk a trip to the emergency room over a food allergy, ask before you decide on meals. You may also want to question your guest about what they like to eat and if they drink coffee.

• What Are Guests Allergic To?
• Do They Drink Coffee?
• Is the Food Labeled
• Are Snacks Available
• Is the Automatic Coffee Pot Ready for the Morning

You are familiar with the layout of your house, but your guests are not so make sure the house is bright enough so they don't stumble and can find their way to the bathroom and the kitchen in the middle of the night.

Make sure there are adequate lamps in your house, with fresh bulbs in them, especially in the guestroom.

You may also want to add a couple of nightlights in dark corners so there will be no guests having to wander around in the dark. Finding light switches in an unfamiliar house is a pain in the rear.

If you have kids, make sure their toys aren't left underfoot. You don't want your guests to trip and fall. Not everyone is used to tentatively stepping due to lego blocks.

If you're house guests are going to be going out on their own, lend them a set of house keys so they can come and go easier.

Many people like to be able to wander out on their own without having to feel that they are asking permission, lending them a spare key for their visit will help them feel that you know they are adults. Also, it will encourage them to go out alone and leave you in peace for a while.

If you have any special house rules, such as "don't let the pets out", make sure your guest knows about them.

Your guests aren't psychic and they don't want to make a mistake because they don't know they aren't supposed to do something.

You don't want to have to be out at 3am chasing down the cat if they let him out.

• Lights Work Right and are Bright Enough
• Night Lights Near Guestroom, Bathroom, and Kitchen
• Toys Picked Up and Not Tripping Hazards
• Spare Key Handy
• Any Special House Rules Written Down

Put a heating blanket on the bed. Some people sleep cold, especially older people, and many guest rooms aren't optimized to be well heated.

Set out some snacks or small bags of candy in the guest room. Your guests will used to eating at different times and may be hungry after their long trip. As the spouse of a diabetic, this is especially important to us because he needs to eat regularly to prevent repercussions.

Type up instructions on how to use the remote control and TV.