“If it wasn’t for guest visits this house would never get cleaned!”
How often TP or I have muttered those words!
Well, truth be told I should prefix “cleaned” with “really” because of course my house does get cleaned, but a full spring clean? Not so much. And life isn’t such that you can time your guests to arrive just after one of those deep cleans eh!
I expect it’s a side effect of retirement that even though two people do spend a lot of time together in the house and things can get a tad untidy at times, two people living in a house don’t really dirty it. However, dust, cobwebs, etc. do have have a cunning way of creeping up on you so even in a two person household the same deep clean needs to take place on a fairly regular basis (occasionally!).
But. I do get rather excited when we have guests about descend on us. It means I’m forced to implement a top to toe clean of the house whatever the time of year, and boy does it feel good after it’s done. And as I’m about to have a guest arrive, I thought it would be fun to share how I prepare for this lovely event.
Enough waffle, here is how I go about it.
Get yourself a checklist!
If there’s no to-do list it won’t get done!
As a pensioner, I need a checklist for just about everything these days. So at the first hint of an impending guest visit, set yourself up with a robust checklist with a time plan, one that no doubt will be added to throughout this journey!
Know your limitations
Accept that everything on that to do list will take much longer than you think it will! Give yourself wriggle room.
I think we can agree that doing anything in retirement takes longer than when we were younger and spritelier. I’ve slowed down considerably. So my first tip would be to know and accept that things will take longer; so whereas 5-10 years ago, I could’ve guest-readied the house top to toe in a couple of days, these days I start my cleaning programme about two weeks before guests arrive. I do a little bit each day working from an expanding to-do list, so that things get done without me being totally knackered when guests arrive!
Not a good look when greeting guests!
So plan to get started in good time before G (guest) Day unless you want them to find you out for the count!
Do your homework
Ask your guests if they have any special dietary requirements, any allergies to things such as bio washing powders, down and feather pillows etc. It allows them to feel comfortable when they arrive, knowing that they’re coming to a house that’s geared up for their specific needs rather than having to ask for things. Which brings me on to my next tip.
Make your house guest-welcoming
Your goal is to make your
guests feel comfortable and welcomed in your home, to feel at home. Mi casa ….
Your guests are coming to spend time with you and won’t be expecting a boutique hotel room and full five star service. I hope, though therein lies another post!
But they will want to feel as though they slot seamlessly into the household and are not an imposition. Doing your homework beforehand will help them to feel that.
Test Drive the Guest Room
Identify the room the guest will be sleeping in.
The Guest Room, identified.
If you have just the one guestroom then that’s an no-brainer. If you don’t have a bespoke guestroom, then identify the sleeping arrangements and adjust the room/rooms accordingly - this is going to have to be done sometime in advance, you don’t want to be getting the collapsible bed down from the loft
on G Day - 1!
It’s important to test drive the room to make sure it’s the bed is comfortable, everything is to hand, etc.
Make sure you give your guest somewhere to charge up; this multi-charger will easily charge all guest devices
Overhead lights for nighttime reading
Clear bath of toiletries if it’s one you use daily
Towels at the ready.
Check the bathroom arrangements too. Think about what your guest might need in the bathroom, check everything is in working order
Working bathroom lights, check!
and leave a more than adequate supply of toilet paper,
guests can find it a tad embarrassing asking for more!
Then if you haven’t already done so, sleep in their room, ablute in their bathroom.
A year ago we bought over new beds for the twin bedroom and slept in the room for some days to check out how guest guests would feel there. I’m pleased to say all passed muster!
Strip!
No, not you! The room.
If you haven’t done so for a while, remove everything - clear any clutter and faffy stuff out of the room and take it back to basics, adding back anything that is necessary for the guest during their stay.
Here the nightstand is stripped of all bar tissues, coaster and faux flowers (being mindful of allergies)
This is a great time to force-declutter, so the exercise is a win-win in my book, being a life-long hoarder and procrastinator.
Launder, Launder, Launder
Yes, wash everything. Strip the bed completely, laundering all protectors, pillows and duvet, as well as bedding. Bear in mind some will have allergies to products used in the house for example bio laundry products. I save myself fret time by always using non-bio products so that bed and environment are suitable for anyone with such allergies.
Guest bed laundered from mattress protector to bedspread and pillow shams
Laundry needs to be done fairly early in your preparation programme. Bear in mind that you will need to launder a heck of a lot of bedding, dry it and remake bed/beds well in advance of G Day. Note that I omitted the ironing word as I avoid ironing like the plague!
But if ironing is your bag then allow a huge chunk of time for that massive task.
Storage
Think about what your guests will be bringing and where they can comfortably store it. Having empty spaces to store with ease is so important in making your guest feel welcome.
Make sure the nightstand drawers are empty and clean
I give guests shelves with cube storage for clothes.
In my mind, making them feel unwelcome would be not having any space to place or hang any of their clothes.
If the wardrobes are chocka with out of season clothes (check!) then provide alternative hanging space
A place to hang jewellery to keep the room tidy
No space in the bathroom to store toiletries can be a bug-bear.
Clear shelves in the bathroom cabinet,
Check bulbs are working.
So yes, think as though you were unpacking your suitcase as your guest and consider where you may want to easily store things out of sight, keeping the room clutter free and tranquil, a guest sanctuary.
Those Little Extras
Again, put your mind into guest mode. Think about things that you’ve forgotten to pack over the years, things you’ve had to rush out to the nearest supermarket to buy and then make sure you have a supply of those to hand.
Empty a bathroom drawer and add things they may have forgotten.
I leave out things like cotton pads and buds, muslin cloths, sponges, hairdryer, scrunchies and clips, hairspray, toothpaste, that sort of thing, and give your guest a list of the items available for their use should they choose in good time before they start packing. I also add things like a dressing gown and slippers to the list as these bulky items can quickly fill up a suitcase.
Spare bath sponges
Your Home Is The Guest Room
Of course, you are preparing a room for your guests but your guests aren’t solely restricted to their room. I hope! So it’s important that the rest of the house is clean and tidy to make your guest feel welcome; and the wonderful thing is that when the guests leave you’re left with whole house that’s sparkling, tidy for you, as if it were a scrubbed up Airbnb!
The Day Before Kick Off
Your work should be pretty much done. It’s time to review that to-do list.
Make sure that your plans for cleaning, tidying, decluttering, etc. etc. all come to conclusion the day before kickoff. This allows you to walk serenely around their room and the house and check everything is in place and in order. It also gives you a chance to sort things out if you find there’s something on your list that hasn’t been ticked off!
Air the rooms a few days before and on G Day
Use this as the day to air the house and to do last minute grocery shopping; buy fresh goods for the house as you’ll invariably be catering for them during their stay. So make sure you have all of the ingredients you need fresh or otherwise. And buy that bottle of gin or wine to sit and catch up with your guests after they’ve unpacked.
That’s a lovely time of the stay, when your work has been done, their work has been done (travel, unpacking, etc.), and everyone now has the time to unwind and catch up.
A magical time
On The Day
And now if everything has gone to plan you can relax.
Guest-ready!
Gloat as you walk around and admire your work. Listen to some music, read a book, doll yourself up.
Just take it easy. Your work is done!
And now it’s over to you, dear reader.
Do you have a different approach to guest visits!
Any tips for G Day prep?
Please share, I’d love to hear.
I’ll be popping a YouTube vid on this tomorrow, so please pop over to watch my rookie attempt!
(Emojis from Pinterest)
A la perchoine,
Mary x.
