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We are in the thick of the holiday season, y'all. This time of year brings with it a special brand of busyness and nearly non-stop guests for everything from drop-bys to dinner parties. While I welcome any opportunity to show a little southern hospitality, there's almost always a bit of work involved, especially for guests staying the night. Since many of us are new to this whole grown-up hosting thing, I thought it would be helpful to round up some tricks I've picked up from my sorority chapter hostess days in college up to now. Earlier this month, I shared some tips for hosting your first Thanksgiving. Today, I've partnered with Persil® ProClean® Laundry Detergent to share the little tricks I employ to make my overnight guests feel at home.
Fresh Linens
Whether you have a pullout couch, a blow-up mattress or a devoted guest room, there are a few things you can do to help your guests feel especially cozy and relaxed. The first is to provide freshly-laundered linens. I use mostly white linens in my home because they're versatile. Also, nothing inspires confidence in the cleanliness of a space like crisp white sheets, right? Using white linens requires a high standard of cleanliness and Persil laundry detergent stands up to that. It works for my everyday cleaning and gets rid of difficult stains, too. And, since I use an HE washing machine and tend to wash in cold water, the fact that Persil laundry detergent can be used in any machine and works with cold water cleaning is a plus. I love that my guests can see, smell, and feel that their linens are truly clean. Persil laundry detergent is formulated with Pro10 Technology and provides 10 different dimensions of clean, including whitening, brightening, long-lasting freshness, and odor fighting.
Golden Rule
The golden rule tends to guide my hosting decisions. I think how would I want to be treated in someone's home? and go from there. One thing that's particularly helpful is giving a mini-tour to point out toiletries, wi-fi information, etc. when guests arrive. If you have a dedicated room for them, even better as you can set out items for them to use. I try to place extra blankets, fresh towels, and washcloths in reach but since I live alone, not all of my linens and towels get regular use. This is where the long-lasting freshness of Persil laundry detergent comes into play. It keeps my linens smelling fresh and slightly floral even if they've been sitting on a closet shelf for a little while.
Touches of Home
If you really want to win hostess of the year, put together a small basket with things people commonly forget. I have a bunch of travel-sized items and beauty samples and put these out in the bathroom or at bedside for overnight guests to use as they need. It's an easy thing to do and will make your friends and family feel catered to. Just don't overdo it or they might not want to leave! I also recommend adding a couple of homey touches like fresh flowers or greenery and a calming candle--eucalyptus and lavender are my go-to scents for this. My guests also love the smell of my homemade refreshing room spray.
Stock Snacks
I've got tons of local dining recommendations and an arsenal of recipes from which to draw but, every now and then, guests just want something familiar--especially when late night snack cravings hit. Before your overnight guests arrive this holiday season, pick up a few items you know they'll love during a grocery run. If you allow eating in any room (I don't), you can even add a few of the snacks to their bedside basket. Here are a few healthy snacks I like to keep on hand.
Are you hosting overnight guests this season? Do you have any tips to share? Let me know in the comments section below. If you employ just one of these tips, I recommend setting the foundation with fresh linens. You can pick up a bottle of Persil laundry detergent at Target (where I got mine)! Here are some laundry tips, in case you need. Thanks for reading!
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Corinne says
This is spot on! We hosted some out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving, and I totally agree with all fo your tips! 🙂
Jori says
Fresh linens for the win! I, too, always make sure I have fresh linens and towels for guests. I try to think what stuff I'd typically have at a hotel or bed and breakfast and have that at the ready.
Sheila Rhodes says
I live close to D.C., and we have quite a few visitors. I agree there is nothing better than clean, soft sheets and towels. I have a small rack with all kinds of lotions, shampoos and a frame which houses our wifi information. I also have a guestbook so our guests can share what they loved the most while they were staying here and give ideas to our guests. This is a great post with tons of wonderful ideas.
Helen Little says
Oh my goodness, I would love to be a visitor at your house! These tips are so thoughtful. I completely agree on clean linen, it's perfection!
Julie Hood says
This is SUCH a great way to approach hosting--what would I want to be comfortable staying at someone else's house? Makes me want to host guests now!