Summer is such a great time of the year! Children are out of school and families are taking vacations. Many of us will be hosting houseguests or we, in turn, will BE houseguests. Nothing makes a home feel more full of life than to have lively company.
Being a good guest in someone’s home takes a little bit of effort. Be courteous and try to respect your hosts’ boundaries. For example, if they have small children who take naps, be aware of the noise you make during naptime. It’s always appreciated if you try to pick up after yourself and keep your areas tidy. Pick up your shoes from the living room and offer to help with the dishes. Upon “checking out”, you may offer to take the sheets of the bed to expedite the preparation for the next guests. More than likely your host will say ‘Oh, please don’t worry about it; I will take care of it.’ But offering to help out speaks volumes.
If you have been invited to be a guest in someone’s home, plan to take a hostess gift. This can be anything from a plant, flowers, chocolates, wine, to a good book you know your host and hostess will enjoy.
If you are having guests into your home, you should do you best to make “their area” of your home inviting and relaxing. They will need space for their belongings, so make sure the closet is not overflowing with your children’s toys or Holiday decorations. In addition, you may want to place bottles of water on the nightstand. Fresh flowers always make people feel special, just make sure they’re not too fragrant; you don’t want to trigger any allergies. It is a good idea to set aside special clean towels on the foot of their bed. You may also want to have books or magazines that may be of interest to them on hand so if they would like to spend some alone time, they have plenty of things to peruse.
Having company, or being company can be exhausting – but it can also be very enjoyable. If everyone does his or her part, it can make for a very memorable stay.
