Thu, 19 Oct, 2017
12 things to do before your holiday guests arrive
1. Magically ‘repaint’ your walls You may have stopped noticing those smudges on the walls, but trust us, your guests won’t. Grab a Magic Eraser and rub it on to baseboards and walls. A quick once-over and it’s like you’ve magically repainted the room!
2. Upgrade your entry Because first impressions count. Try oiling door hinges to prevent squeaks, polishing scratches, clearing away shoes and umbrellas, and adding extra hooks for coats.
3. Clear public areas What area of the house has the most thoroughfare? Assess and clear the clutter, removing anything unnecessary from tables and counter tops. Low on storage? We hereby give you licence to shove things under your bed – just this once.
4. Cater to your guests Do you have to make your house childproof? Check cupboards and make sure toxic cleaners and medicines are placed high up on the shelves. Hide matches and lighters and if necessary, ask parents to bring baby gates and cabinet locks.
5. Light the way You may know how to navigate your house in the dark, but your guests don’t! Pay attention to hallways, bathrooms and bedrooms – so you don’t hear a big thud in the middle of the night. And make sure all the sensor lights are working outside.
6. Look out for your furry friends Make sure your pets are freshly bathed and change their litter box every day. If your pet gets overexcited and overanxious upon meeting new people, you might want to confine them to their own separate area.
7. Make it smell good If there’s one thing guests remember, it’s a room’s stink. You don’t have to steam your furniture and dry-clean your curtains to get it smelling fresh. Simply invest in a good room spray. Give fabrics a good fluff and spray from a distance.
8. Lay out the amenities All those mini shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and sewing kits you’ve nicked from hotels over the years? Now’s the time to use them. Leave them by their bed alongside a bottle of water and some reading material.
9. Set the temperature Make sure the house is set at the optimum temperature! Yes, even if it means cranking up the aircon at night. Set that anxiety over next month’s electricity bill to one side.
10. Ready your good linens Those pancake-flat pillows you keep in the guest bedroom? These were never meant to be slept on. Make sure your guests have comfortable pillows and temperature-appropriate bedlinen so they don’t freeze or boil.
11. Write down basic instructions WiFi password? What’s the deal with the alarm? And most importantly, how do you access Netflix using the remote control?
12. Plan (but don’t overplan) things to do Your idea of a holiday may be go, go, go, but there’s might be quite the opposite. Give them tips, but don’t force an itinerary upon them. And don’t freak out if they just want to chill out around the house. Have a spare set of keys made so they can come
Expecting an onslaught of friends and family coming to bunk in your home? Look on the bright side!
This is the perfect opportunity to tackle those niggly house jobs you’ve been procrastinating over. Prepare with these handy tips and you’ll be sure to please the most pernickety in-laws.
Here are 12 things to do before your holiday guests arrive. To see them all, scroll through the gallery above. Do you agree with these tips?
Written by Kathleen Lee-Joe. Republished with permission of Domain.com.au.
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