Every home can be welcoming to holiday guests with a few simple tricks. Here are some fast and affordable ideas that will instantly turn your home into the perfect holiday party place.
A Place for Outwear
• The winter holiday season means guests need a place to hang their coats and scarves. Quick ideas include installing multiple coat hooks (above left) or a standing coat rack (above right) near the front door. Even a small portable clothing rack is a great party day solution.
• Holiday guests often come bearing gifts. Set up a table near the front door so guests have a place to set items down as they greet others and remove their coats.
• If there’s a coat closet near the main entry, consider temporarily removing the everyday items so it’s free and clear for guest use.
• To protect your floors from winter wetness, add an over-size all-weather floor mat on both sides of the front door.
Eat, Drink & Be Merry
• Let guests help themselves without getting in the way in the kitchen by setting up a bar cart or beverage center in another room. This can include a small refrigerator for cold beverages, like the example above.
• Invest in a set of folding TV tray tables so guests can sit down and eat most anywhere there’s a chair. Once the party is over, fold them up and store out of sight.
• Do not hesitate to temporarily rearrange your furniture to accommodate extra chairs and extra folding tables.
• Need an extra dining table for the night? Two or three sawhorses spanning the distance of a large sheet of plywood is the classic solution. Drape a beautiful tablecloth over the plywood, place chairs (even folding chairs) all around and you’re ready for a sit-down feast.
Gadget-Friendly
• From tablets to phones, your guests of all ages will most likely need to recharge at some point. Invest in a multi-port USB wall charger that plugs into an easily-accessible outlet in a public place in your home (above left). Or install new outlet covers with a built-in USB port (above right) in multiple rooms.
• Post a large-print note that shares your home’s wi-fi name and password so it’s convenient for all guests to log on.
Let There Be Light
• Indoors – increase the amount and types of lighting in the rooms your guests will frequent. Older eyes need more light, and well-illuminated spaces greatly reduce confusion and accidents for all ages. Suggestions for evening include turning on all the light sources in a room, or adding table and floor lamps. For day, open the curtains and blinds and let the natural light in!
• Outdoors – from right before dusk until dawn, turn on all outdoor lighting in the front and back yards so it’s easy for guests to safely make their way in and out of your home. This is also a good idea on cloudy or overcast days.
Do you have tips for making your home friendly to holiday guests? Please share them in the comments section. To explore more permanent ways to remodel your home for entertaining, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here. And may you and yours have a healthy and happy holiday season!