Top tips for getting your home guest-ready

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Giving your house a clean is just one step you can take towards making sure your house is ready for guests to stay. This guide will offer tips on catering to your guests' needs, as well as providing style inspiration to make spaces cosy and welcoming.

Declutter and tidy up

It’s obvious of course, but the cleaner and more streamlined your home, the better it will be for your guests – and ultimately you. If you’re having more than one person to stay, you’ll also need space for extra pairs of shoes, potentially more seats at the table, and so on. Get out the vacuum and mop, have a big tidy, and hide away anything precious so it doesn’t get broken. If you can, it’s a nice hospitable touch to clear out a few drawers or wardrobe space so your guests can put their clothes or belongings during their visit. A bunch of flowers is a cheap way to add some colour and life to any room, and creates a lovely focal point as your guests arrive.

Get your flooring guest-ready

Extra people in your home means extra footfall, so before you welcome anyone to your home, it’s worth taking a second look at your flooring. Now might be the right time to get around to that replacement carpet or vinyl you’ve been talking about, and of course we at Tapi are here to help you every step of the way. We’ll even hold your purchase at our warehouses for up to eight weeks after you’ve ordered it until you’re ready to start your project. So, you can do any redecoration or moving of furniture first before the new floor goes down.

If your carpet’s seen better days, we have a host of easy to follow ideas in our guide on how to remove stains from your carpet and make it seem as good as new again. And if you need to know how to keep your vinyl looking smart and prevent any scratches or dents from your guests or family, check out our guide on how to clean vinyl flooring.

Get your kitchen guest-ready

You’ll probably be spending longer in the kitchen than usual while you have guests, preparing more meals or cleaning up after them. Do keep in mind people have come to see you, not judge your domestic goddess skills, so take as many shortcuts as you can and always say yes to offers of help or takeaways! Make sure your guests know where you keep the dustpan and brush or the vacuum so they can pitch in if there are any little accidents.

In the mornings, to make it easier on yourself, you may want to set up a buffet, with cereal, fruit, yoghurts, bread, marmalade and jam on a counter, so that when your guests wake they can make their own breakfast and you can have a lie-in – or at least a shower.

And it doesn’t hurt to explain your family’s routines – for instance, if you have a big dinner in the evening or at lunchtime, if you want to sit down together for every meal or just grab something on the go.

Get your bedroom guest-ready

If you’re lucky to have a spare room, this is the moment to open all the windows, change the sheets, and create a peaceful space for your guest to rest and have privacy. If you want to provide the full hotel experience, you could put a basket with cotton wool pads and holiday-sized toiletries by their bed. You may want to lay a rug by the bed so their feet are cosy in the morning. Tapi sells a collection of ready to go rugs, created from recycled high quality carpet, that give precious materials a second lease of life, and add comfort and texture to any rooms. Pop into your local store to take one away today.

Get your bathroom guest-ready

Once you’ve given it a spruce-up, think about offering your guests their own towels or flannels for their stay. And remember to stock up on extra loo roll, soap and toothpaste too! If the upcoming arrival of your guests is making you think about replacing the flooring in your bathroom or loo, then we have loads of inspiration on the best types to suit your needs and budget in our Ideas Hub.

Other things to think about

You may want to consider the following optional extras while you’re making your home guest-ready:

Heating and lighting

A warm welcome is exactly that! As first impression counts, imagine how lovely it will be for your guests to arrive in a heated home. You may want to put the heating on for longer so everyone can have a hot bath or shower. However, if you’re concerned about bills, then provide extra throws or blankets, or spare pairs of slippers. If you can, provide extra lighting, particularly on the walk between where they’re sleeping and the loo. A bedside lamp’s helpful so your guest doesn’t have to get out of bed and stumble around in the dark in an unfamiliar room.

Children and pets

If you’re not used to having kids or pets in your home, this will be an adjustment for you. It’s best to ask your guests what they’d like or need before they arrive – having the children in the same room or sleeping on the sofa, if the dog needs to be outside and so on. And vice versa, if you have pets and your guests don’t, then gently warn them about the dog or cat’s particular routine – or how early the children wake up!

If we’ve encouraged you to think about buying a new carpet or floor, then pop into your local store for friendly and free specialist advice from one of our floorologists. Bring in a photo of the room you’ve hoping to improve and they’ll take it from there. In the meantime, if you need any more inspiration, then you’ll find lots of flooring ideas on our website.

Post author

Claire Murphy Copywriter Former lifestyle journalist, keen amateur upcycler, full of value for money ideas

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Published: 18-05-2023