One of my favorite parts of moving to a house instead of an apartment is finally having a guest room for my visiting friends! No more pulling out the shaking couch bed and trying to make my guests feel comfortable while their things are sprawled all over my living room. Our house is still small, so our guest room also can look like the extra closet room or craft room or visiting baby changing room, but it’s still an upgrade from the couch bed. 🙂
Having an overnight guest opens up the potential for so much intimacy, so it offers an extra challenge from a dinner guest. You can’t go home and hide after an awkward social encounter or complain about your introverted self to your husband because the person is still there, hopefully not going through your cabinets. You can take on the challenge, though, and in the midst of this holiday weekend, I thought it might be helpful to share a couple tips I’ve picked up to help your guests experience the height of your hospitality potential.
No, I haven’t mastered these and I’ll probably forget some when you come to visit, but I’m trying and I still love you.
1. Clean the room. (Yes, this seems obvious, but you never know)
2. Set out some light reading, share wi-fi password, and explain how to turn on TV. (Is it just me or is it getting harder and harder to turn on people’s television sets?)
3. Prepare bathroom with clean towels and basket of toiletries.
4. Stock fridge with at least one or two things you know your guest will eat. (I know allergies and preferences can make this very difficult, but stay strong)
5. Review morning schedule the night before so one of you doesn’t sleep till noon while the other has been ready to go since 7:30am. (hint: that would not be me)
6. Explain the charms that come with living in a 100+ year old house before the door handle comes loose and the faucet falls off for the seventh time.
7. Go over neighborhood safety, door locks, and alarm codes to promote a feeling of safety and well-being.
8. Give your guest some space and alone time to relax, make calls, check social media, etc. If they are introverts, like me, they will definitely appreciate it!
That should do it! Your charm and personality will have to do the rest!
Anything I missed? Anyone having overnight guests this weekend?
The Love Bungalow 
Very smart list and things that we might not think of!
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My latest overnight(s) guest / couchsurfer just left, and yes, having a guest takes a certain amount of preparation that I may or may not always successfully accomplish. The thing I actually find most difficult is arranging my own schedule to be around / available while my guest / couchsurfer is staying. With school, after-school activities, church “stuff,” a new puppy, hobbies/sports, and a plethora of birthday parties / social events on my calendar, it can be difficult to be “at home” long enough on the first day to make my guest feel welcome. BUT, it is often worth it–being a couchsurfing host is a GREAT way to meet new people from all over the world… and they’re often content just to have a place to stay… even if its not the Hilton. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing! I’ve always been a little nervous about having a couch surfer, but have heard great things about it! It can definitely be hard to balance a busy schedule with hosting!
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Great Post. Regards Lucas
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