3 cheeky birds here to provide some cheeky tips on keeping your sanity when the holiday guests arrive. Grab a glass of wine and your to do list and start reading! A little preparation ahead of time can save you from running around catering to guest requests and instead you can actually enjoy time with your guests.

#1 Declutter the House

Ideally, a week prior to the arrivals, declutter your space, especially the guest rooms and public areas, such as the foyer, kitchen and family room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, etc. Put away personal items, such as bills and hide the good liquor!

When you inevitably run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Deal with it after the guests leave.

You can use the imminent arrival of your guests as your motivation to get everything in tip-top shape and off your to-do list. Your husband and kids will likely run away so that could be an added benefit and leave you in peace to go Marie Kondo on your house. Nothing motivates me like an impending deadline (or the arrival of judgmental relatives). Use this newfound energy (ahm stress) to do a big toss out, make simple repairs or do that small redecorating project you've been putting off.

When all else fails, schedule cleaners to come a day or two before your guests and make sure to have them come back the day after the guests leave!

#2 Freshen Up The Guest Room

Unless spouse has been banished to the guest room (and in that case, you’ll need to allow him back in the bedroom for the holidays), your guest rooms often go unused so check that the lights, remote and clock are working.

If you really like your guests or want them to stay tucked away in the guest room, providing phone chargers, water bottles (or better yet a reusable water bottle) and less messy snacks (skip the Doritos and unshelled nuts) is a nice touch.

Change the sheets so they smell fresh and clean and have plenty of fluffy pillows and extra blankets and comforters.

Declutter the room, especially if it normally doubles as another household space , such as an office, playroom or storage). Clear out the closets and drawers so your guests have a place to put their stuff. Make sure you have hangers in the closet.

If you want to go the extra mile, placing a small arrangement of holiday-themed flowers, foliage or decor on their bedside table is an especially gracious touch. Just not the elf, please not the elf.

Make your guest room clear and clutter free for guests

#3 Costco Run

Brave the crowds and take a trip to Costco to stock up on paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, plastic cups garbage bags and cleaning supplies. You’ll need WAY more of these than you can even imagine. With a house full of guests, it’s not the time to be green; it’s time for convenience. While you’re at Costco, don’t forget to pick up your meat, snacks, butter, milk and wine in bulk. You’ll need these items in large quanities as well. Especially the wine.

#4 Add Night Lights

It’s getting darker earlier and your guests may be imbibing so even though you know how to navigate your home drunk and in the dark, your guests most likely cannot. Make sure outside lights are working and consider putting motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms. You can buy them in bulk on amazon. This could save you a midnight trip to the ER.

#5 Kitchen Clean Up

Everyone will gather in the kitchen so make sure it’s clean and ready for extra bodies.

Clean out your fridge, freezer and pantry and throw out all old food and drinks.
Make plates, cups, etc. accessible. I leave out the paper and plastic goods because you can only run your dishwasher so many times in a day.
If possible, move your coffee station into another room, such as the family room, dining room or office, so guests don’t crowd the kitchen when you’re trying to fix meals.
If you like having your guests hang while you’re cooking and of course, cleaning, put extra stools and chairs in your kitchen. You can pretend you are one of those fancy chefs in an open kitchen rather than their mother.

#6 Turn Your Bathroom into a Luxury Hotel

Who doesn’t love a luxury hotel? (You’ll probably wish you had run away to one the moment the guests arrived.) In any event, outfitting the guest bathroom will make your guests really feel spoiled.

Stock the bathroom with toilet paper.
Outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls and floods) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment and you having to get involved).
Buy new towels to make your guests feel comfortable and at home. Once the guests leave, take them for yourself and toss out the old towels you received at your engagement party. You are worth it so spring for the big, oversized fluffy, white bath towels.
Provide toiletries, such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cotton swabs, shaving cream, disposable razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste. You can use all the travel sized bottles you’ve been stealing from hotels and your dentist! You can even arrange the products in a cute basket, take a picture, post it on Instagram and look fancy.
Provide a hair dryer.
Provide common medicines, such as Advil, Tylenol, Alleve, Tums, Pepto. They will be very much appreciated and you won’t have to hear stories about Uncle Don’s tummy not agreeing with your gravy.

#7 Have Plenty of Food and Drinks

Stock the kitchen with beverages and snacks your guests enjoy. Make it easy for your guests to grab a quick snack or drink whenever they want. Make sure you have both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. And don’t forget an extra case of wine for you . . .

Have easy to prepare foods ready for breakfast and lunch, such as bagels, toast, cold cuts and bread. Or you can make a big pot of chili that can easily be heated up. That way the guests can eat when they want instead of feeling like they are burdening you for their every meal and you don’t feel like a short order cook.

#8 Get Them Out of the House/ Give Them Space

You don’t want your guests to be bored or worse bothering you around the clock so provide some options for them to venture out on their own: shopping trip, the movies, popular local attractions and if there are kids, trampoline parks or bowling alleys. Do not feel obligated to be with them every single minute of the day and you don’t need to be their cruise director, just provide them with some thoughtful options to keep them entertained and out of your house for a few hours.

#9 Keep Them Informed

Place a card on their bedside table with important household info on it, such as the Wi-Fi password, the alarm code and the address. If your guests are staying more than a day or so, leave them an extra house key (on a bright, pretty ribbon) so they can come and go as they please. It’s also nice to leave them a list of your favorite restaurants and shops in case they want to venture out on their own.

#10 Photos

For all my snark and sarcasm, I truly love hosting guests. People love knowing they are special to you and you want them to feel appreciated and loved. Printing and framing photos of you and your guests is an amazing way to show they mean so much to you and are an important part of your life. I like displaying both an oldie but goodie and a more recent picture.

Preparing for Holiday Guests