The holidays are a major time for house guests. However, I’ve never been one to host people for overnight stays. Growing up, there was always someone else in the family who lived nearby and had more space for our relatives from other countries to stay.
Recently, I moved into a one-bedroom apartment with my partner. It’s a small space, so I didn’t expect to host not one, but two guests for a two-night stay this year, especially since the apartment isn’t fully decorated yet.
Although two nights may seem brief, my apartment is very small and I’ve never faced this dilemma before. So, I immediately started working on the best ways to make my guests (and myself) feel comfortable during their visit.
A Complete Deep Clean
Other people’s mess always seems grosser than your own. So, I did a thorough deep clean of every nook and cranny. Imagining that they would show up with white gloves and inspect for dust (they didn’t), I really got to work on tidying everything up.
My partner and I split the cleaning evenly. He focused on our living room-kitchen-dining room combo area, while I put most of my attention towards our bathroom, entryway, and eventually our bedroom.
Splitting the work in half made it much easier, and I was grateful that my guests wouldn’t notice crumbs on the kitchen counter or a stain on our entryway mat.
All of this cleaning happened a week before my partner and I would go on vacation. So, we also took care of the laundry at the same time. I paid particular attention to the workout clothes to keep sweaty scents away from our guests.
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Replenishing Our Snacks
I’m used to a two-person (and kitty) household, so we usually have just the right amount of snacks stocked until our next grocery run. We let our snacks dwindle more than usual because we didn’t want anything to expire while we were on vacation.
A quick trip to the grocery store solved this problem. I restocked every snack in the apartment (and got some extra things per my guests’ request) to make sure they wouldn’t have to ask for anything or go to the grocery store themselves.
Prepping Extra Toiletries
When getting the apartment in order, I kept asking myself ‘what would I want if I were a guest?’ Making sure the bathroom was equipped with everything they’d need and feel comfortable using was very important.
Before they arrived, I made sure my bathroom was equipped with spare body and hand towels, a brand-new air freshener, a fresh pack of sanitary products, and a body wash that was safe for communal use.
I even cleaned and prepped a nail clipper just in case. You really never know what someone might need!
Setting Up a Great Rest Space
Privacy is a major concern for me when I’m on a trip. So, I wanted my guests to feel like they had a space of their own while staying with us.
Unfortunately, sacrificing my living room was necessary as it’s a one-bedroom apartment and I wasn’t giving up my room. I prepared a queen-sized air mattress for my guests, complete with all the sheets and blankets they’d need to stay warm during New York winter. I kept my time in the living room brief and avoided their personal items so they wouldn’t feel I was encroaching on their limited space during their two-night stay. I wanted to ensure my guests felt like I’d thought of everything to make them comfortable. By addressing snacks, toiletries, and private space issues, I was able to minimize many pet peeve questions aside from having to share my Wifi password. The stay was brief and my guests felt cared for. In the end, that’s all that really mattered.
