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The 4-day Easter weekend is looming – have you made all your plans yet? One of the great joys of an extra-long weekend is the opportunity to entertain family and friends and enjoy some great meals and even have them to stay. Having people to staying in your home requires a bit of planning and some hard work but the delight of being able to spend quality time with them far outweighs the effort.
If you prepare your home in advance your guests will feel welcome and be very comfortable. Here are some suggestions on how to get your home ready so you and your guests can enjoy yourselves.
One of the first things you should do is to give your home a good clean, particularly the kitchen, guest bedroom, and bathroom. Take this opportunity to declutter your home - remove items that you no longer use. Not only will your home look better, you’ll also make sure your guests have plenty of space.
With extra people and the preparation and cooking of culinary masterpieces, your kitchen will probably be the busiest room in the home over Easter, so make sure it's well organised. Clean the oven and sort out the fridge, so there’s plenty of room for provisions. Check to make sure you have enough servingware, crockery, utensils, and cookware. Stock up on pantry items (food, drinks, snacks, and breakfast items), and extra supplies (such as paper towels and toilet paper) – you won’t want to spend your precious time running to the supermarket over Easter. Don’t forget to check if there are any dietary preferences or restrictions so you can plan meals to accommodate.
Once you’ve completed these tasks – you can start on the fun part of the preparation.
Get the guest room by filling it with things you like to find in a room when you’re away from home. This will make them feel special and they’ll immediately feel welcome. Make up the bed with fresh linen. You must admit, that one of the nicest things about staying in a good hotel is the sheets – so invest in some beautiful new sheets for home (you can always have them on your bed after their visit). Fluff up the pillows, make sure the globes in the bedside lights are working, and pile on a couple of extra cushions. Add a throw or two and a coverlet, so they’ll be well stocked for any temperature changes.
The day the arrive open the windows and let some fresh air into the room for an hour or so, then spritz the room with some room mist and leave them the bottle so they can spray liberally whenever they please.
If there’s extra space in the room, a chair is a great idea – no matter how much you love the person or people staying – sometimes it’s good to have some time alone. If there’s a place to sit in their room, they can have some quiet time and so can you!
Make sure there are some empty drawers and cupboards so they can unpack and somewhere to stow away their luggage, so they’re not tripping over it.
Add some current magazines, books, water glasses, a bowl of Easter eggs and a scented candle for some extra thoughtful finishing touches.
If the guests need to share a bathroom – provide them with some different coloured towels so they know which ones are theirs. If they’re lucky enough to have their own bathroom, stock it with some soft, fluffy towels, some luxurious body wash and lotion, and if there’s some room, a small vase of scented flowers is always a thoughtful addition.
To get everybody instantly into a festive mood - decorate your home. Setting a delightful table is easy with a range of bunnies and Easter themed paper placemats and serviettes (and they make cleaning up a whole lot easier too!). Don’t stop with the table decorations - there are a lot of other places around the home to pop some bunnies – they’ll look sweet sitting on a console table or in a bookshelf, and of course a couple should really go in the guest room.
Preparing your home for Easter and having guests does require some effort both before they arrive and after they leave, but it's well worth it and you’ll feel calmer, more relaxed knowing everything is sorted before they arrive. By following these few suggestions, you can create a festive and inviting atmosphere that you and your guests will love.
Enjoy the holidays and have fun with your loved ones - happy Easter!
