4 tips for having guests to stay over the festive season

The festive season is a time for fun with family and friends.

And part of that fun is having them over to stay.

It gives you the opportunity to reconnect with those you love.

You can eat meals together, play board games, talk late into the night and catch up on the past year.

However, in order for you to truly enjoy this experience, you will need to properly prepare for having guests to stay.

Make sure you have the right furniture

If you don’t have a spare bedroom or you have more than one couple staying with you, you will need to have a sleeper couch in good condition in your living room. A blow up mattress is not always a good idea as it takes up extra space and will make the room look cluttered, especially if it’s a small space. No, a sleeper sofa is definitely the way to go. Ensure that it’s covered in a comfortable material. While a genuine leather couch may look fantastic and stays in excellent condition for a long time, it works for a lounge suite couch, but not a sofa bed.

In case you don’t yet have a sleeper couch as part of your lounge furniture, you should browse for lounge suites for sale online. You can order one and have it delivered as soon as possible. You can put it in the corner of your lounge or replace your old 2.5 seater couch with a stylish corner suite that doubles as a sleeper couch.

Stock the fridge

To make things all the more easy for you, try to stock the fridge as best you can before your guests arrive. Have snacks and beverages that your guests can help themselves to if they’re thirsty or peckish. This will save them having to ask you every time they need something. It’s a simple way of making your guests more comfortable in your home. And you won’t have to run out to buy groceries every time you need something.

It’s also important to ask your guests if they have any dietary requirements before they arrive. This way you can avoid any awkward moments when they open the fridge and see that you have nothing they can eat. This will also help you prepare what you’re going to cook for meals in advance. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be and the more fun you’ll be able to have.

Organise activities

Plan ahead for fun things to do in your neighbourhood or city. Out-of-town guests will appreciate this as they will be able to experience the local atmosphere and culture. Planning meals at restaurants you enjoy will mean that you don’t have to cook and your guests can have a nice lunch or dinner between sightseeing and even doing some shopping for their friends and family back home.

If you’re an incredibly organised person, you can even plan an itinerary and print out a copy for everyone. However, don’t pack the schedule too tightly or make plans too rigid. You want your guests to feel as though they’re on holiday and that they have time to simply relax with the people who they came to visit, you and your family.

Give your guests some space

Nobody wants to feel like they have to entertain people 24/7 and it’s likely that your guests won’t want you to fuss over them all the time. So, give your guests some space to do activities on their own. Allow them to go out for the day without feeling as though they have to invite you to join and don’t insist that they do everything you do. It’s okay to spend time apart, especially if they are staying for more than a few days. Make suggestions of places they can visit while you’re at home doing chores or out running errands. This will also be good for you as they won’t be slowing you down or trying to help when they don’t know exactly how you like things done.

At the end of the day, having guests over the festive season is great fun. But it shouldn’t be too much hard work for you or you may end up resenting them and looking forward to their departure. Rather, enjoy each other’s company by ensuring that you have everything planned ahead of time. You will be glad you did and so will your guests. Remember to have a good time and enjoy yourself. It’s important that not only your guests have a lovely festive season.