Enclosed elegance: 4 steps towards preparing your house for guests

Bring the indoors outside

While the other half of the globe spends Christmas shivering among snow and hail, Aussies get to take advantage of the summer. Invest in energy efficient electric heaters for your outdoor space and you’ll be able to party and celebrate in the garden until the early hours. These innovative devices can be used all year round, so treating yourself to one now is like getting a gift that keeps on giving. Plus, think how delighted your guests will be when they’re drinking bubbly on a toasty, cosy deck beneath the stars.

Get rid of mess and clutter

If you’ve fallen into the habit of using your spare bedroom as a messy storage area, it’s time to do some spring cleaning before the guests arrive. It’s only polite to give visitors plenty of room for their own things, especially if they’re staying more than one night. You can cheat a little by hiding things in cupboards and under the bed, but make sure that they’re neat and your temporary resident has lots of room.

Launder your towels

Some guests prefer to use their own towels, but a good host prepares freshly laundered supplies just in case. This is the perfect occasion to get your best ones out. You know, the ones you’ve been saving for when the Queen comes to tea. Lay them out neatly in the spare room, so your visitors aren’t searching around for the essentials. To be especially useful, leave travel sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste close by as well.

Pull up a seat for everybody

Most people have experienced the wonky chair phenomenon at Christmas. You’re invited to the house of a relative or friend for dinner and the gathering is a big one. So big, in fact, that you all end up sitting around the table on different sized chairs, at different heights. It is a funny situation, but you can make your own gathering a little smoother with some forward thinking. Don’t leave the seating arrangements until last minute. Think about where you’re going to put everybody so that you know if you need to acquire more furniture.

Why little details matter the most to your guests

You don’t have to have a lot of money or a huge, lavish house to make guests feel delighted to be there. You just have to provide the little touches that say you’ve thought about their needs. Things like providing fresh towels, stocking up on toilet paper, and inviting them to join you in the kitchen while you cook, are all small details that can make a person feel at home.