Tips for Making Guests Feel Welcome In Your Home

With the popularity of Airbnb, many more people are now accommodating people in their homes, whether it be having friends you already know round for the weekend (which is what I do a lot) or even offering your home to a friend of a friend or complete strangers. Whoever it is, before you agree you want your home to be prepared for their stay and it’s important you consider their needs as well as your own. There may be certain rules or things they need to know and questions they may have about your home. Generally people can be too polite to ask for certain items or arrangements, so its better if you think of them first.




Let them know about any pets

It’s customary to inform your guest about any pets you might have, especially if they are allergic or scared of certain animals. Letting them know in advance will allow them to either politely decline, make other arrangements, or prepare themselves for the excess amount of doggy cuddles.

Let them know how long they can stay

For really close friends, this might not be an issue but if its someone you hardly know it could be. Letting them know exactly how long they are welcome for allows them to make other arrangements if needs be and also helps to prevent people from outstaying their welcome. There is no polite or non-awkward way to ask someone to leave your home, so if you give them a date asap it allows the whole stay to be as organised as possible.

Give them a comfortable place to sleep

Even if you're lucky enough to have a guest bedroom like me or just a sofa bed for your guest to sleep on, why not use it more efficiently? Following these guest bedroom design tips will allow you to make a great first impression, and it shows you care enough about them to give them somewhere comfortable to rest their head. If you can, make sure that they are given a door with a lock on it also, as everyone values their privacy.



Cooking for people with allergies

 Living with someone who is ceoliac I know about dietary allergies all too well and that if your dinner or house guest has a serious food allergy, then you need to be truly careful about any food you serve them, or any cross contamination from your food utensils getting into their meal. If you are close friends, you may already know about their allergy but it’s always best to ask them first just in case. 

Clean your home

A dirty home can be uncomfortable for a guest to stay in. If you have children and pets it can of course be harder to achieve this, but a basic level of hygiene is always good to insure your guest has a pleasant stay. Your bathroom space is where hygiene should be the most important. Try to clean any mould from the bath and shower unit, as well as regularly bleaching and disinfecting your toilet and sink space. Purchasing an air freshener allows your home to smell fresh, especially in the areas it’s least likely to.

Give your guest space

If you trust your guest enough to allow them into your home, you should also trust them enough to give them their own space. It can sometimes be awkward to spend the night in the home of someone you know, even if you’re relatively close friends. Allow them their space to unwind and relax, for example an hour or so in the morning and evening before you ask them if they need anything.

With these home tips, you can be sure your friend or family member will experience a pleasant stay, and thank you accordingly. They may even let you stay at theirs in the future!

What do you focus on most when you invite guests into your home?

Liz x

*This is a collaborative post

1 comment

  1. These are great tips! I especially love that you mention allergies. I've got terrible allergies myself, and my dear sister has dogs that I'm very allergic to. She loves on the other side of the county so we try to visit her often and stay at her home. She always takes the time to deep clean for me (even calling the carpet cleaners!) and it helps with my allergies tremendously and makes me feel much more at home as a guest.

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