The vacations are a significant time for home friends, however I’ve by no means been one to host folks for in a single day stays. Rising up, there was at all times simply another person within the household who lived close by and had far more area for our members of the family from different nations to stick with.
I just lately moved right into a one-bedroom condo with my accomplice. It is a small area so I didn’t count on to finish up internet hosting not one, however two friends for a two-night keep, this yr—particularly with the condo being nowhere close to totally adorned.
Whereas two nights could appear to be a short keep, my condo could be very small and I’ve by no means had this dilemma earlier than, so I instantly set to work on the perfect methods to make my friends (and, actually, myself) really feel snug whereas they visited—right here’s what I did.
A Full Deep Clear
Different folks’s mess is at all times grosser than your individual mess, so I did a whole deep clear of each nook and cranny. It helped to think about that they might present up with white gloves and examine for mud (they didn’t), so I actually set to work with all the things that wanted to be tidied.
My accomplice and I break up the cleansing evenly, with him specializing in our residing room-kitchen-dining room combo space, whereas I put most of my consideration in direction of our lavatory, entryway, and ultimately our bed room.
Splitting the work in half made the duty a lot simpler, and I used to be grateful to not have to fret about my friends noticing crumbs on the kitchen counter or a stain on our entryway mat.
All of this cleansing additionally occurred per week earlier than my accomplice and I might be occurring trip, so we additionally obtained laundry out of the way in which whereas we have been at it. I paid specific consideration to the exercise garments—I used to be decided to maintain sweaty scents away from our friends.
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Replenishing Our Snacks
I’ve grown used to a two-person (and kitty) family, so we usually have simply the correct quantity of snacks stocked to final us till our subsequent grocery run. We might let our snacks dwindle greater than common as a result of, with a trip simply over the horizon, we didn’t need something to run out whereas we’re away.
A fast journey to the grocery retailer solved this drawback, and I restocked each snack within the condo (and obtained some further issues, per my friends’ request) to ensure they wouldn’t need to ask for something, or go to the grocery retailer themselves.
Prepping Further Toiletries
When getting the condo so as, I saved asking myself “what would I need if I have been a visitor?” Ensuring the lavatory was geared up with all the things they’d want (and really feel snug with utilizing) was essential—as a result of who needs an ungainly bathroom-related state of affairs?
Earlier than they arrived, I made positive my lavatory was geared up with spare physique and hand towels, a brand-new air freshener, a recent pack of sanitary merchandise, and a physique wash that was secure for communal use.
I even cleaned and prepped a nail clipper simply in case—you actually by no means know what somebody may want!
Setting Up a Nice Relaxation Area
Privateness is a significant concern for me at any time when I am on a visit, so I wished my friends to really feel like that they had an area of their very own whereas staying with us.
Sadly, that meant sacrificing my front room (it is a one-bedroom condo, and I wasn’t giving up my room). I prepped a queen-sized air mattress for them with all of the sheets and blankets they’d have to hold heat throughout our New York winter. I saved my time in the lounge very transient and steered away from their private gadgets so they would not really feel like I used to be encroaching on their (very restricted) quantity of area throughout their two-night keep.
I wished to ensure my friends felt like I might considered all the things to make them snug. Outdoors of getting to share my Wifi password, I used to be in a position to reduce plenty of pet peeve questions with the snacks, toiletries, and personal area points addressed. The keep was transient and my friends felt cared for and, ultimately, that is all that basically mattered.
