Six Steps to Keep Guests Out of Your Home for the Holidays
The holidays are approaching, and as the end of the year approaches, millions of people will hit the road, the skies and the train tracks to visit friends and family. Having guests is stressful for both the host and the guests themselves , especially if your guests cannot read body language and refuse to leave .
Properly preparing your home for guests can relieve some of this stress—no matter how much you love your friends and family, they are not part of your family. They don’t know how you run things, and your property will never be as important to them as it is to you (and there are always eggnog accidents involving tipsy relatives). To ensure you can relax and enjoy your guests (and avoid unnecessary arguments), take the time to guest-proof your home before the crowds arrive.
Prepare the hallway
The entryway of your home is obviously the first thing visitors see. Whether it’s your garage or your front entrance, there are a few steps you can take to ensure your home is protected:
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Make sure exterior lighting is working and sufficient to illuminate the path from parking spaces to the front door.
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Clear snow and ice from steps, walkways and driveways.
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Protect your floors with spare rugs, waterproof mats and/or shoe trays to prevent your guests from ruining your floors from rain and snow.
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Make sure there are obvious places where people can hang their coats and leave umbrellas, shoes or anything else they might want to throw away once inside. You should also put away your clothes to create more space.
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Have house shoes or slippers for everyone.
If a rule is important to you, please report it.
Your home is your castle, and you obviously make the rules. If something is important to you (for example, asking guests to remove their shoes), you should explain it clearly so that there is no misunderstanding. Don’t be afraid to post a sign at the entrance listing house rules if they’re important to you – it’s better to make those rules clear than to quietly (and then, after some of the aforementioned eggnog, not so quietly) get offended at your guests for breaking the rule you’re talking about. they don’t even suspect.
This rule of making things that might seem obvious to you even more obvious extends to the kitchen: make sure trash and recyclables are clearly labeled and easy to access. If it’s hidden, like behind a door or inside a closet, a sign might be a good idea. This way, your guests won’t wander around or be tempted to leave trash, empty cans and bottles in the sink or on the counters. You should probably double bag your containers as well to protect them from torn bags and leaking horrors.
Protect your personal space
Just because you open up your home and invite people in doesn’t mean they automatically have the right to run the place. While certain parts of the home, such as the living room, kitchen, and guest bathrooms, will be considered open to your guests, you can definitely mark certain parts of your home as private—and you should. Your own bedroom, master bathroom, and any room that you don’t want people to enter for any reason (because your pets are sequestered there or because sensitive items are stored there) can be marked as “Do Not Enter” . Don’t be afraid to lock the door or put up a sign to make it clear.
Speaking of privacy, if guests are on their way, take the time to look around the rooms they will be in for personal items you may not want them to see. This includes things like prescriptions in the bathroom medicine cabinet , which people absolutely follow if given the chance.
Protect your valuables
It’s doubtful that your relatives or dear friends came to your holiday gathering as part of an elaborate plan to rob you, but accidents do happen. Things get knocked over, thrown off the edge of a table or chest of drawers, picked up and placed in an unexpected place. To prevent any misunderstandings or loss of property, walk through the house before guests arrive and put away anything you don’t want to lose.
Consider fabric protection
It’s a rare holiday gathering that doesn’t involve at least one spill, baby spit-up, or dog-related dinner theft, so be prepared by protecting your furniture and rugs. Temporary covers for sofas and chairs mean your guests can spill as much wine as they want while you remain cheerful and calm. Carpet stain protection sprays are cheap, easy to apply, and can ensure that even if Fido drags a holiday ham all over the house, cleanup will be relatively easy.
Stock up on bathrooms
Guests will be using your bathrooms and likely coming in and out of the kitchen, so prepare both rooms. In bathrooms, make sure things like extra hand towels, TP rolls, and extra soap are easy to see and grab so guests don’t have to get creative.