As I prepare our guest room for my sister and her family, I remembered two things she did over Thanksgiving when our family stayed at her house.

1. She Cleared the Surfaces

I think all that stuff on the coffee table up there in our guest room is so pretty, but, realistically they’ll need that area to put their own stuff down so I’m going to clear it off before they get here. My sister even cleared off surfaces in her family room and dining room in preparation for our big family get together and it made her house seem even bigger and less cluttered.

2. She Created a Charging Area

Between Emily’s family, my family and my parents, we have 7 iPhones, 2 Kindles, 2 iPads, a few iPods and about 83 laptops.  Emily made a point to have a little area cleared off {see above} and stocked with an outlet and extra chargers.  This was something I would have never thought of but was so incredibly thoughtful and useful.  If your family isn’t as nerdy as ours maybe you are into something else that could use a designated area.  I think a designated chocolate area could be a really good idea as well.

And if you are worried your home isn’t big enough or finished enough for hosting people this season, do yourself a favor and read this post by Gypsy Mama :: Your House is Only as Big as Your Hospitality.

I’d love to hear any practical tips you have for making your guests feel more at home.