November 08, 2017
If you have holiday guests this season, you need to do more than just wash the sheets. Being a great host means providing comfortable living conditions, so your visitors feel at home. You also want to provide a clean and healthy sleeping environment, while protecting your family from any contaminants your guests may have brought in from the airport, taxi cab, or wherever their travels have taken them.
Prepping Your Home for Holiday Guests Just like in a hotel room, a visitor hopes for a clean environment, plenty of room to store and organize their belongings, access to media and utilities, and ultimately a comfortable and private place to retreat to. You can provide all of this and more by focusing on the following areas:
Bathroom In addition to a thorough cleaning, leave out plenty of laundered towels, as well as a place to stash their toiletries. A thoughtful extra step can be to provide a fresh bar of soap, toothpaste, shampoo, shaving cream, etc. in the event your guests forgot to pack something.
Kitchen Your guests may not have the same eating habits as you. For example, you might drink your coffee black while they take cream and sugar, or perhaps drink tea. Find out ahead of time if they have any special food requests and plan a grocery run before they arrive. Also keep snacks on hand so your guests can conveniently grab something if hungry between meals.
Closet Particularly over the holidays, your guests will likely need closet space and hangers for coats, hats, scarves, boots, etc. Clear out some room in a closet, or provide a coat rack.
Clutter A disheveled home is unsightly, and not relaxing for your guests. Tidy up by organizing paperwork, storing unnecessary items in the basement, putting shoes in the closet, straightening up the remotes, and looking for other ways to reduce clutter.
Bedroom Since the guest room will be their "home away from home" for the holidays, you're going to want to pay extra attention to the bedroom. Helpful amenities can include:
- A power strip for convenient charging of phones, tablets, and laptop computers
- A TV, and upgrading your cable package if your guests watch specific channels you don't have
- The WiFi login on a piece of paper
- An uncluttered desk space if there is a desk available in the guest room
- Provide pens, notebook paper, tape, staples, stamps, etc.
- Empty drawers in the dresser
- Plenty of empty hangers in the closet
- A nighttime reading lamp
- A bedside alarm clock
Bedding Updating your bedding will not only provide enhanced comfort for your guests, but also a cleaner and healthier environment for them, and protection for you. Specifically, old mattresses and pillows have likely lost their support over the years, as the padding is prone to breaking down. In addition, old mattresses and pillows can host dust mites, pollen, mold, plus other allergens and sleep inhibitors. Worse yet, if a bed bug was to hitch a ride on your guest' luggage (which can easily happen in hotels and airports), an old mattress or pillow offers the perfect place to hide and lay eggs. Providing the following sleep essentials ensures restorative, allergen-free rest for them and protection for you.
- Quality memory foam mattress
Healthy support, plus resistance to allergens and bed bugs
- Quality memory foam pillows
Proper head and neck alignment, plus resistance to allergens and bed bugs
Guards mattress from sweat, spills, stains, and locks out allergens, dust mites, and bed bugs
Guards pillows from sweat, spills, stains, and locks out allergens, dust mites, and bed bugs
Hypoallergenic, inhibits bacteria growth, wicks away moisture, and helps manage temperature There are many quality bedding products on the market today. The following are some of the most effective:
Sleep 200 8-Inch Cooling Memory Foam Mattress , As it adapts to the shape of your body, it provides customized support, while keeping you cool. The two layers of quality memory foam are naturally resistant to bed bugs and allergens, helping you to maintain a clean and discomfort-free sleep environment.
Energize Collection , 300S Series Sheet Sets , Featuring a soft silk-like feel, these Tercel sheets keep you cool, manage moisture, resist bacteria, and are non-allergy inducing.
Rest Collection , 300 Series Adjustable Pillow , Customizable to provide optimal head and neck alignment. Manages moisture and temperature, resistant to allergens and bed bugs, and breathable.
Energize Collection , 400K Series Bedding Protection Kit , A 360 degree solution to protect your mattress and pillow from bed bugs, dust mites, allergens, mold, sweat, spills, stains, and more. Preserves the peak performance of your mattress and pillow and makes them last longer, too. The holidays offer an opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones. If you are having visitors this holiday season, taking steps to provide a comfortable environment will help ensure they have an enjoyable stay.
