Entertaining Guests at Christmas: Tips to Make Your Home Feel Cozy and Organized

The holidays are approaching and it's tradition to have family and friends over to celebrate or to stay for the season.

Preparing your home in advance to adapt bathrooms and rooms for comfort and practicality will not only provide a pleasant experience for your visitors but will also allow you to relax and enjoy more because you will no longer have to worry too much about providing them with what they need during their stay.

Let's start...

Organize the guest area

Prepare the rooms or comfortable spaces for the guests to feel at home. Make sure you have enough blankets available, clean sheets and towels, and if possible, that they are organized and within reach.  

If you have a cooler, place it in a visible and strategic place and stock it with water and tasty drinks.

Common spaces without clutter

I am one of those who support the idea that less is more. So I invite you to open the spaces of your living room by placing armchairs and table on the sides or corners, in a way that suggests a receptive space with little visual stimulus. In addition to providing ease to interact with the rest of the people in a close and intimate way.

Make space in one of your closets to store bags and coats.

Write down everything you consider important for a kind and efficient use of the kitchen, such as instructions for using the dishwasher, where food and daily products, including glasses and dishes, are located. Where the garbage and recycling garbage can are, etc. and share it with your guests.

Preparation of bathrooms and shared areas

Discuss in advance with the people who will be visiting you as guests how to distribute the time shifts for using the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room.

Have enough toilet paper, soap, toothpaste and hand towels, as well as other hygiene and cleaning products.

If you have a garden and a covered patio, arrange symmetrically extra chairs that are foldable and easy to move. Also include calendula candles to scare away mosquitoes and insects.

Entertainment area

Set up a room where children can play safely and freely.

Remove anything that can be easily damaged or broken, open up the space, bring a basket with toys and cushions, set up a kids' profile on your digital entertainment content services. Give clear instructions to their parents about what they are and are not allowed to do in relation to the safety of the children and your home. E.g. no opening windows, no eating in certain areas and no jumping on the bed.

Design a plan for board games, karaoke, good playlists to not only listen to but also dance to, and think of any other games that could be shared as a group.

Here you have additional ideas:

https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/living-family-rooms/g27287874/playroom-ideas/

At first, all this might sound overwhelming or that there are many things to consider, and yes, but if you do it with time and calmly, the work will be done by the time you celebrate and share with your loved ones, and you will give them the freedom to make them feel at home and take the initiative and independence to enjoy everything you have organized and made available for them.

See you next time!