Making Room for House Guests

If we accept a guest in our house, we owe them at least the most basic levels of hospitality – a comfortable place to sleep at night.

So how do you make your home guest-friendly?

A place to sleepIf you have a guest room, this is easy. Just clean up the room, make sure the mattress is firm and aired and in general good condition, beat the pillows, and replace all the sheets and pillowcases with fresh ones.
Now if you don’t have a guest room, your guest may need to stay at the sofa or a portable mattress. Whichever one you provide, make sure it is comfortable to lie on (lie on it yourself to check). If you have an inflatable mattress, make sure it has no leaks that will lead to its deflating through the night. Provide fresh sheets and pillows.

If you can afford to get a divider, it’s nice to get one for your guest, to provide a small amount of privacy. If you can’t afford a divider, you can improvise by hammering a two nails into opposite walls, attaching a clothesline to the nails, and hanging up a curtain that your guest can draw at night.

The bathroom
Make sure your guest knows the way to the bathroom and where the light switch is. If possible, put a night light near the bathroom so it’s easier to find.
Provide soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, disposable cups, towels, and hand towels for your guest. Make sure your guest knows these things are for use and not for display only.

Small stuffGive your guest a drawer or small cabinet to keep things in. Provide a small bench or table for resting the suitcase on. You may also want to provide a bag for used clothes, in case your guest forgot to bring one.
A night light, an alarm clock, a music player, slippers, and a trash can are nice, thoughtful touches. You may also want to leave a carafe and water glass, and maybe even some packed snacks that won’t attract ants, for your guest.

Teach your guest how to operate the temperature controls for the room he or she is staying in. Provide extra blankets, in case your guest gets cold in the middle of the night.
Teach your guest how to access your broadband Internet connection, in case he or she wants to surf online rather than read before going to bed.

All these little things can go a long way towards making a guest feel truly welcome in our home. Then, perhaps, this will also show them the right way to treat guests when it is our turn to stay overnight at their house.