It is a week into September and I am still in denial that summer is over. The holidays will be here before you know it and with the holidays often times come houseguests. I have partnered up with BHG at Walmart to share ideas of how you can get your house ready for guests this holiday season.
The VERY first thing I think of is adding fresh flowers or some kind of pretty center piece to the table. These coral flowers with their hint of orange scream fall to me!
The other thing I think of is to make sure that everything they might need, is very accessible. Don't make your guests keep asking where things are. Even if you normally put your towels in a cabinet or drawer, put some fresh clean towels on the counter or in a basket in addition to the ones you have hanging. I have mentioned it several time before, but I prefer the thick fluffy ones.
Better Homes and Gardens Bath Towels and Hand Towels
I was traveling a few months ago and stayed in a hotel where they had everything you could possibly need right there in the bathroom. There were little packs of Q-Tips, Floss, etc. Normally at hotels I have only had the soaps and stuff. I know that you can call to the front desk and get some of the extra things if you forget them, but having them right in the bathroom already seemed so nice. Make sure your guests have all the things they need right at their fingertips. I added mine to these adorable jars with lids.
And if you don't have a lot of counter space to spare, they are also stackable! I think they would be so cute with vinyl lettering on them too.
BHG Canister
We have all been there..... Stranded. And it is the worst when it is at someone else's house and you have NO idea where their toilet paper is stored. Even if you normally don't have it out on display, stick it in a cute basket and place it somewhere convenient. Because friends don't let friends get stranded.
BHG Round Galvanized Bin
And since the theme of this post seems to be convenience and accessibility, let's carry that over to the kitchen. Make sure you have snacks set out for your guests. Especially if your guests came from far away and are from a different time zone. They will be on a different eating schedule and may get hungry before you have the meal ready. I adore this oval bowl!
Oval Serving Bowl
Another idea is to have extra blankets folded up near where they will sleep. We all sleep best at different temperatures and you want them to be comfortable.
What are some things you do to get ready for guests? Or, if you are always the guest, what would you like people to do to make your stay more enjoyable?
*I was compensated by Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart for this post but the ideas, pictures, and thoughts are all mine.
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Debbie
Let me know when I can come spend the night ;) Love it all!
Debbie
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life
These are all great. I love to offer a couple of magazines or a book or two plus the Bible to an end table.
Stacy
Great Idea!
Marci
What is in the middle of your three containers? I recognize cotton balls and q-tips, but can't figure out the middle!
Stacy
Bath Salts :) I guess I really should label them!
Emily
great ideas!! I love the little touches to make guests feel welcome!!
Ginger
Yes! There's nothing more awkward than searching for basic necessities when staying with a friend - well, maybe having to ask for something when you can't find it. :) Great tips!
kristi@ishouldbemoppingthefloor
LOL..."stranded"...reminds me of the old Seinfeld "can you spare a square?" episode!! And those stackable canisters are to die for!! :)
Vanessa Barker
Those tiny canisters are so cute. I want some for my Master bath
Vanessa
LOVE those adorable jars and the canister!
Lindsay @Artsy-Fartsy Mama
Great tips!! Loving those stackable jars!
Amanda
I always leave a large glass jar on the bathroom counter filled with extra soaps, shampoos, mouthwash, toothbrushes, razors, and perfumes/colognes. These are usually travel size giveaways from hotels, or other events, and perfumes we no longer use or bought and didn't care to use. My sister-in-law always comments about getting to try a new perfume when she visits. I also leave pads/tampons in a cabinet over the guest toilet, so there is little to no searching involved!
sharon garofalow
Great ideas! I can't wait to go check out the new line at Walmart! Everything looks so fantastic!
Julie Blanner
I love all of the conveniences of a great hotel! The stackable canisters are so pretty!
Ashley Phipps
Oh I love all your cute ideas!!!
Cath T
Gorgeous roses. Nice ideas--you're a thoughtful hostess. I like the stacking glass canisters. One thing that always bugged me when at my parents' house for holidays along with loads of other family members is figuring out who's using which towel set. My mother would occasionally tape little name tags on the the towels if non-family members were staying. It looked a little silly (and uncool to young guys), but I really, really want to know that my towel is my towel and please don't anybody else use it please. I don't think I've ever seen anybody come up with a name tag system for multiple towel sets in a shared bathroom. Of course, I never looked, but that's a bit of craftiness I'd like to see someone tackle. Actually, the really clever thing would be if there was a way to hang a wet towel unfolded so it would dry reasonably quick and not get stinky. No, I am not someone who washes towels every day. Just always thought it was a dumb system to refold wet towels to hang them on limited towel bar space. How often do you put out fresh towels for guests?
Stacy
What a smart mom you had! My mom embroidered our initials in our towels for us growing up so we were responsible for hanging and washing our own. But it would be helpful for something temporary for guests. We don't wash our towels every single time we use them either. :)
kara
So pretty! You are such a thoughtful hostess!
Jenna
Everything is beautiful! I love all the bathroom storage items!
Jenna
This was such a cute post and you had some really good ideas
Melanie
We don't have many guests, but these are great tips for the times that we do!
Lois
I always appreciate a night light - and not because I'm afraid of the dark. There's nothing worse than when you have to get up in the night and can't find the light switch. Feeling your way to the bathroom or kitchen to get a drink of water isn't fun. Once I actually walked into the wall next to the bathroom door while staying at a friend's house! It was pretty funny but a night light in the hall would've helped.
Stacy
I never would have thought of that! SUCH a good idea!
Daria Piech
Hey! Just a quick comment - even though I still don't leave on my own and in out house we barely ever get guests who are not very close family members, your post inspired me a lot. those are all so nice things that actually I think some of them should be applied everyday - fresh flowers, bowl with little healthy snacks, and the containers in bathroom are also decorative so why not to keep them and let yourself and the other people at home have an easy access to them?
That's a very well done sponsored post, informative and inspiring - just simply valuable for readers.
Lots of love!
Daria
Angie @ CCC
Great choices Stacy! Love these products!
Debi
I leave two towels and a washcloth on the bed and have a towel rack on the back of the guest room door. There is a small basket next to the bed with current magazines and a couple of paperbacks that my guests are welcome to take with them if they don't get to finish the book during their visit. I also save all those samples of shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. from my hotel stays and put them in a basket on the dresser for my guests who may have forgotten those items.