Summer is winding down, but there’s still time for a few guests to visit you before the beginning of a new school year starts keeping them nearer their own homes and routines. If you’ve got visitors on the horizon, you can welcome them with more than a warm smile and fresh sheets by collecting a few essentials from around your home for their use while they’re with you. Check out the following list of items that all guests will appreciate and enjoy:
- A Place to Put Their Stuff
Make it easy for visitors to access their things by providing a luggage rack or bench for their suitcase, as well as free space and hangers in the closet for their hanging clothes.
- Extra Pillows and Blankets
Oblige varying preferences by having extra pillows and blankets on hand.
- Fresh Flowers
Make travelers feel extra special by placing fresh flowers in a small vase in their room. It’s a luxury few allow themselves at home, so your thoughtfulness will really stand out.
- Toiletries
We all forget things. Have a small basket of toiletry items like toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap and/or body wash, lotion and bubble bath either in the room or labeled for visitors to use in the bathroom. An extra roll of toilet paper is also nice for guests to have on hand in case they run out in the middle of the night and don’t want to wake you for more!
- Snacks and Water
Set out an assortment of snacks, along with some bottles of water, for your guests to enjoy should they get hungry and not want to trouble you. Items like small bags of chips or pretzels, nuts, crackers, granola bars, fruit and cookies (fresh baked if you have the time!) are perfect for tiding your guests over until their next meal.
- Wi-Fi Password and USB Charger/Cord
Let your guests know how to access the Internet in your home and provide them with a USB charger (and cord, if possible) in case they’ve forgotten or lost their own.
- Books and Magazines
Who doesn’t like something good to read?
- An Alarm Clock
While most people have a smartphone they could use to wake them if necessary, some like to have additional assurance. It’s also nice to have a clock to quickly check in the night instead of having to reach for a phone.
- Bedside Lamp
Create an atmosphere that is warm and inviting by having a bedside lamp to read by at night.
- Tray or Small Dish
Place a tray or small dish atop a dresser or side table for guests to store their keys, wallet and jewelry for safekeeping.
- Nightlight
Save visitors the embarrassment of a midnight misstep by plugging in a few nightlights to light the path to the bathroom.
- Trashcan
No one wants to search for a place to dispose of his or her trash. Assume that visitors will have and make garbage, and accommodate them by providing a place for them to put it.
- Box of Tissues
And since you have a trashcan in the room, you can offer a box of tissues, as well. Everyone has to blow a nose at one time or another.
Remember, the little things can make a big difference for your guests. You don’t have to be as detail-oriented as an EB-5 lawyer preparing legal documents, for instance, but you can help your guests feel valued with a little planning and preparation.