Forget preparing the guest room when you are expecting guests. Try focusing on the following tasks that are quick, easy and will prepare your home for guests, even if they aren’t the overnight kind.
Lower the thermostat
No, I’m not trying to freeze your guests, but there is a good reason for lowering the thermostat a couple of hours before your guests arrive. A room full of people tends to get warm pretty quickly, especially if those people are coming in with heavy coats from the cold. Chances are that you have or have had the oven on in preparation, another reason why a lower temperature on your thermostat will be more comfortable for everyone.
Clean out the closet
It can be a little awkward when your guests open the hall closet to hang up their coats and have to fight their way through just to find a hanger or a little bit of space. If you want to avoid having to appoint someone to transport all of the coats to the bed and back, simply create some space in your existing coat closet by temporarily moving some of your family’s extra bulk somewhere else. Place an extra doormat or even a large dish pan on the floor of the closet in order to hold any wet or drippy boots. A couple of sets of new slippers is a nice touch that will make your guests more comfortable.
Rearrange the living room
You are probably so used to your living room seating arrangements that you probably don’t even think twice about them. But, if you want to encourage conversation in your home among your guests, you may want to make a few adjustments. Change your seating so guests can face each other and talk, rather than having the seats face the television, for example. Trust me, if someone really wants to watch television, they will move a chair themselves into the right position.