Thank you to Hamilton Beach for sponsoring this post. All thoughts, opinions and mediocre hostessing tips are my own.
‘Tis the season, my friends!
Pull out the extra pillows, pump up the air mattress and stash those dirty dishes: company is coming. We have an open door policy for friends and family who wish to endure special, quality time in our crazy home and what we lack in accommodations, I try to make up for in hospitality.
Knowing that our guests are treated to a stay in my son’s room (hey, at least the bed is a queen) while he bunks up with us and that our playroom will never, ever be free of LEGOs to step on, we rely on little gestures here and there to remind our visitors that we do really appreciate that they were brave enough to crash at our casa.
Behold, 5 of my favorite ways to ensure our guests feel comfortable in our home:
1. Caffeine To Order
I am actually the only dedicated coffee drinker in our house. My husband is happy to grab an occasional pick me up here and there but this mama is the only one who relies on a hot cup of coffee every morning. Because it’s just me, I never see the need to dirty up a coffee pot. When guests are around, I know we’ll need more than my single cup so I pull out the big guns: my FlexBrew by Hamilton Beach. Guys this thing is an amazing, best of both worlds kind of set up. Because it’s compatible with both k-cup packs or ground coffee, I can set the timer to brew a full pot first thing in the morning, prep a little coffee bar and allow everyone to fill their mug as they wake up in the am. If the classic roast doesn’t put a pep in someone’s step, they can use a single pod to brew their own chosen cup of java.
Even better, the FlexBrew allows you to choose your brew strength so we can really amp things up if the pervious night has been a restless one.
In my opinion, nothing says “we’re glad you’re here” quite like the smell of freshly brewing coffee first thing in the morning. And nothing prevents family squabbles quite like getting to pick out your very own brew, so it’s clearly a win all around. As a bonus for me, once the guests are gone, I put away the coffee bar fixings but keep out the FlexBrew because it can make just one cup a time – and comes complete with a tiny basket for a single cup’s worth of coffee grounds that you can use in place of a K-Cup!
P.S. There’s another win at the end of this post, so keep reading!
2. Passwords and Tricky Tech
We dropped cable when we moved into our house in Charlotte, so we make sure that all of our visitors know how to work our TV’s. That’s proven to be easier said than done as far as my Mom goes, but we’re working on it! We also made sure to set our WiFi password as something easy to remember (I’m sure anyone who knows my husband well could guess that it’s related to his alma matter) so that it’s available for an easy log on. We write the WiFi password down and leave it in an obvious place (say, near the coffee bar!) so that everyone has access when they want it.
3. Shared Spaces
You may remember that our hall bath is also our guest bath and the bath that our children use, so it get’s a ton of traffic. My parents recently came to visit and I asked them if they needed anything – and it wasn’t until that moment that I realized the only shampoo and such in the guest bath was meant for delicate baby skin. Oops! Since then, I’ve been sure to stash real deal body wash, shampoo and soap under the cabinet so that all of our visitors can avoid squeezing their soap from a Mickey Mouse shaped bottle.
We also make sure to grab everything that Gray will need for the entirety of our guest’s visit from his room – that means clothes, stuffed animals, special blankets, whatever. I want our guests to feel like the room is theirs for the visit, and don’t want to intrude on their space by popping in constantly for a fresh pair of Spider Man undies. We also try to de-little boy the room a tiny bit by moving the LEGO skyscrapers to the playroom, containing the lovies in the baskets where they belong and clearing off the books and such from his bedside tables. I mean, let’s face it, no one wants to wake up in the night, search for a bathroom in a strange house and worry they’re going to take out a LEGO village with their bare feet on the way.
4. Scents and Smells
Strong scents like air fresheners and candles can sometimes trigger headaches or allergies so I make sure to eighty six all faux smells at least 24 hours before guests arrive. Instead of using an aerosol spray or plug in scent, I use lemons and limes to freshen up my kitchen and garbage cans. Cut a lime into quarters and toss them down the disposal – give it a run and the citrus will cut through any grime and smell amazing. The same goes for a lemon half squeezed into a lined garbage can!
5. Charged
And finally, we keep an assortment of charging cables on hand for anyone who might have forgotten a cord. A tip I learned from my best friend is to go ahead and plug in one charging cable near the bed where guests will be staying, it will help them get settled if they arrive at night, which will be much appreciated by the road weary.
If you’re hosting this holiday season, I’ve got you covered! Hamilton Beach and I are giving away a Flex Brew coffee maker identical to mine so that you can set up your own coffee station for your guests to enjoy. Head to my Instagram to enter! If you’re more of an Amazon Prime kinda hostess, be sure to enter code 10FLEXBREW for 10% off the FlexBrew on Amazon.
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