How to Prepare a Household for Out of Town Guests

House guests are sometimes welcome and sometimes not, but you still have to get the house ready for them. Here are some helpful hints for getting your house ready when you are expecting houseguests.

Things You'll Need

• Various blankets
• Extra pillows
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Bar Soap
• Mouthwash
• Scent-free deodorant
• Washcloth
• Hand towel
• Bath towel
• Room deodorizer

Instructions

1. Clean everything, including the dust bunnies prior to your guest’s arrival. It is okay to let those things pile up during their stay, so long as they start out clean when your guests arrive. Guests won’t even notice the state of disarray. Their first impression will be their interpretation of how you clean house.

2. Purchase and arrange a small basket of toiletries for your guest that you place on the dresser or on a table in the room in which they will be staying. Those toiletries should include things that people often forget when traveling. A toothbrush, some toothpaste, a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner, a bar of soap, scent free deodorant and some mouthwash should do the trick. Additionally, you may wish to include a washcloth, a hand towel and a bath towel.

3. Stack a variety of blankets and an extra pillow in your guest’s sleeping quarters. Think about the times you have been too hot or too cold when visiting relatives or friends, but remained quiet about it, choosing instead to suffer through the night. Do you remember balling up your dirty laundry underneath their flimsy excuse for a pillow, just to get your head to the right height so that you didn’t wake up with a kink in your neck and a river of dried drool down your face? Be considerate.

4. Deodorize those carpets if you have pets. There is nothing worse than staying in the house of a pet owner who is unaware that their animals stink and leave hair everywhere. Arm & Hammer makes a carpet powder called Pet Fresh that is perfect for removing or masking pet smells prior to the arrival of your guest. Also consider making sure that either your guests are behind closed doors or that your pets are locked away during the night. Your cat might be a great companion, but your guests will not appreciate it when Mittens decides their face would make a comfortable spot of bedding in the middle of the night.

5. Buy a can of bathroom spray and put it in the bathroom in a visible location. Enough said.

Tips & Warnings

• Houseguests are fun, but they are an interruption to your daily life. Take advantage of the opportunity to go a little lax on housework for a few days, but in so doing, be sure to consider the comfort of your guests during their stay. It’s the best way to insure that they either come again, or that they consider the same niceties when you visit their home. May your time with houseguests be good for your relationships.