Getting Ready for Guests

Twenty tips that will help visiting friends and relatives feel right at home.

To help guests feel at home, create a basket filled with things they might want such as magazines, mints and candies, bottled water, tissues, hand creams, hand-held video games and other fun items. A long, narrow planter, either wood or terra cotta, makes the perfect guest basket for storing these items

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By Laura Hagler, hgtv.com

Preparing for houseguests isn't difficult. The biggest problem is having enough space for everyone who visits. It takes some decorating ingenuity to make friends and relatives feel at home, but a few simple changes can make a guest's stay comfortable and enjoyable. Here are some tips:

Entertaining

Buy inexpensive particleboard round tables (36- or 42-inch diameter) at decorating shops, home centers and department stores. The tables are easy to put together and can provide a space for three or four guests to dine or play games. Cover the tables with sheets, throws, large scarves or fabric remnants to jazz them up a bit. Complete by tying or attaching ribbons or upholstery cord around the makeshift tablecloths.
Create additional dining or buffet table space by placing unhinged doors or boards across saw horses or file cabinets. Cover in the same manner described above and embellish as desired.
Camouflage tables by layering the tablecloths. Start with a sheet that drapes to the floor, then add blankets, burlap fabric, canvas drop cloths or decorative fabric and remove any soiled layers after each meal to reveal a fresh tablecloth.
Use large pillows on the floor for extra seating in family and children's rooms. Tossed on the floor around the coffee table the pillows make a terrific dining area for flexible guests.
Use table and desktop storage units to hold china, utensils and other frequently used items so guests can help themselves and know where things are. A nice tabletop file box, in-and-out baskets, wicker office caddies and smaller items work great for allowing guests to help themselves to napkins, plates, coffee mugs and more. Also, any sort of divided basket or tray is nifty for placing utensils or snacks within easy reach.
A wooden dish drain is another great place to put plates, glasses and mugs. It doesn't take up much space on the countertop and it's decorative enough to be placed directly on a buffet table if desired.
For quick decorating, go into the backyard and cut attractive branches of berries and/or evergreen foliage. Spraypaint them gold, silver or even red. Add the decorative accents to houseplants or silk flower arrangements. A few branches in an old, interesting bottle can also be festive.

Setting Up a Guest Room

Place several small bottles of water on the nightstand so guests don't have to find their way to the kitchen if they wake in the night with a dry throat.
Make sure the guestroom is clean. Just because it was cleaned two weeks ago doesn't mean it's clean today. Cobwebs, dust and musty sheets are problems that guests will definitely notice.
Place towels and extra toiletries for guests in a basket for easy transport to the bathroom.
Remove any unnecessary furniture that makes the room feel crowded, but include a comfortable chair and reading lamp so the guest has a quiet space of his or her own.
Remove clutter from the tops of dressers and other furniture to make room for guests' belongings.
Clear space in the closet and drawers for guests to unpack. Provide a clothes tree for extra hanging room.
Place a night-light in both the bathroom and the hallway to make it safer for guests to find their way. Also, place a flashlight on the nightstand so it will be handy in the event of a power outage.
To ensure a well-rested guest, lay a foam egg-crate pad on top of the mattress for added comfort. If the mattress is old and sags, lay a piece of plywood underneath to give more support.
To freshen a musty mattress, sprinkle baking soda between the mattress and pad. Let it sit overnight, then vacuum it up the next day. For quick fixes, spritz the mattress with lavender water.
Throw already-washed sheets back into the dryer to freshen them up. Ironing sheets, even if they are wrinkle-free, gives them a crisp, clean feel. Freshen pillows by air drying them in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet.
Add a down comforter with a duvet to the bed. To make the comforter look crisp and new, clean and iron the duvet. You can even change a room's decor by purchasing new duvets in various colors and patterns.
Always have extra pillows (both down and synthetic) and blankets available for guests. Make sure guests know where they are.
Other items to provide in the room include a nightstand with a clock radio, magazines, wastebasket, ironing board, iron, window treatments or shades for privacy, elevated stand for suitcase, a vase of fresh flowers, candles, a night-light, extra hangers and facial tissues.