Well, for the most part here, hosting people overnight sounds like it should be simple, like really, really simple, right? It’s all about making your house just feel welcoming, and who knows, maybe daily it feels welcoming enough, just enough for someone to visit for a bit. But maybe you even have a spare bed, clean towels, and being a normal human for 24 hours is possible for everyone in the house, too. But yeah, it rarely feels that simple, because overnight guests make a house feel exposed in a way that’s hard to explain.
Like, somehow every weird noise is louder, every scuff mark is more noticeable, and the brain starts remembering random things at the worst possible time, like, oh right, the hallway light flickers, the guest bathroom door sticks, maybe those small splatters and stains in the bathroom and kitchen are now somehow more noticeable and now becoming a big deal.
Trends Don’t Help
And then social media makes it even more crazier, because every other video is someone restocking a guest bedroom en suite bathroom like it’s a mini boutique hotel, putting fancy lotions and fancy toothpaste in a drawer, lining up travel-size shampoos like they’re running a resort, tossing in slippers, a plush robe, pillow mist, tea, a cute little welcome basket, the whole thing.
Which, honestly, it’s adorable, and if that’s fun, then yeah, do it. But if the house itself is uncomfortable, all the tiny luxury items in the world won’t stop that “oh no” feeling when someone’s sleeping over. Bluntly put, nobody’s going to remember the fancy mouthwash if the room is stuffy, or if there’s some other thing happening in the house that’s just uncomfortable.
Just Focus on the Stuff Guests Actually Feel
Okay, the biggest mental shift is realizing most overnight guests’ embarrassment comes from comfort issues, not decor. Seriously, people don’t judge a house for being lived-in; they judge it when it feels uncomfortable, and there’s a difference. It’s things like comfort in temperature that make sense, air that doesn’t feel stale, bedding that doesn’t feel like a punishment, and a bathroom that functions like a bathroom should. Like, the basics should work smoothly.
Because if someone wakes up sweating, or freezing, or with a dry throat from stuffy air, then it doesn’t matter how aesthetic the guest basket is, the experience still feels off. So you absolutely have to fix all of that first. For example, that might mean that you need to hire an HVAC specialist if heating or cooling isn’t reaching the guest bedroom (a perfect example since more people have a guest bedroom in their basement or attic).
So, before thinking about the boutique hotel fantasy, it helps to do a comfort sweep, which is basically just walking through the guest space like you’re the guest and noticing what would annoy you.
Do a Quick “Guest Perspective” Walkthrough
Which is basically piggybacking on what’s being said above. But this is the easiest way to catch things that are easy to ignore when it’s just daily life. So, walk into the guest bedroom, close the door, and sit for a minute.
Does it smell like a closed-up room? Is the air heavy? Is there a weird odor that nobody notices because nobody goes in there often? Does the room get hotter or colder than the rest of the house? Is there a lamp that doesn’t work? Is there a blind that doesn’t close properly? Are there random cords and clutter that make it feel like a storage room pretending to be a bedroom?
Yeah, sure, there are way too many questions, and way too many things to check, but your house is lived in, it’s not a hotel with a big maintenance team. So, if you don’t want to feel any embarrassment at all, you need to look into this.
What Would Embarass You the Most?
Honestly, just ask yourself that, for most people, it’s going to be cleanliness, air quality, and the temperature. Well, that and what they can provide to their guests (like enough blankets, pillows, and towels). Assuming you have enough bedding and towels, is your home clean enough? Maybe not a deep clean, but is it clean enough? Maybe not hotel-ready, but close?
Fix Anything that Could be Embarrassing
Well, in the long run, this is going to benefit you, too, well, you and everyone else at home. There are certain issues people living in a house get used to, but guests notice instantly. Actually, low water pressure is one. Plus, that one wobbly toilet seat is another. Actually, even a bathroom door that doesn’t latch properly is another one, and yeah, guests notice that too. A bedroom that’s too hot at night, or too cold in the morning, that’s another big one, because sleep gets affected ,and people remember bad sleep.
The same goes for stains, scruff mark,s frays and tears in textiles, limescale, grime, you name it. But all of these basically become a bit more noticeable when people stay overnight. It just helps to fix these. Sure, candles and a cute welcome basket are fine and all, but that doesn’t instantly fix the issue either, though. So again, fix some of these issues, and even your home/ quality of life will honestly improve too.
Remember, Your Guest isn’t a Psychic
While yes, in a hotel, you can make assumptions about where things are, like there’s usually a bible in the nightstand drawer, or shampoo on the countertop in the bathroom, a safe in the closet, these are all very basic things. But a guest bedroom isn’t a hotel. Like, guests don’t know where anything is, and that’s what makes them feel awkward. So it helps to set the room up so nobody has to ask a bunch of questions, because asking questions makes people feel like they’re inconveniencing you, even when you’re being nice.
For example, you could put a water glass and water nearby, clear a drawer and a little closet space so they don’t live out of a suitcase like they’re at an airport. Maybe even leave an obvious place to charge a phone. Put extra toilet paper where it can be found without digging. These are obvious examples, but just do all of these; they really do help.
A penny for your thoughts?