Guests coming over? It’s time to put these items out of sight and out of mind!
There’s nothing more enjoyable than a nice get-together with friends and family. When we have company coming over, we want them to have a pleasant experience in our home and feel good and relaxed. A good host is always prepared for their guests with tasty food, good wine, comfortable places to sit and enjoy dinner etc. But being a good host and preparing for guests is also about what you hide from public display. Things that might become tripping hazards or private items should be put away before your guests arrive.
Curious to know what home experts suggest you put away before your guests arrive? Then read on to find out just that!
Shoes
Yes, shoes. Nothing spells messy than piles of shoes at the front door, waiting for you to trip on them. “Storing your shoes properly not only makes your home look neater and more organized, but it can also help create a safer environment by reducing tripping hazards,” suggests Virginia Frischkorn, founder of the party planning platform Partytrick.
Before your friends or family come over, take your time to put your shoes in a closet or a storage space. It will not only create more room for your guests when entering the house but it will also not be the first thing they set their eyes on when opening the door.
Speaking of which, here are 6 Things Guests Always Notice About Your Home.
Toys
If there’s one thing that most people attest to, it’s that toys can be real tripping hazards if left all over the floor. If you have kids or grandkids, you must know how painful it is to step on a teeny-tiny piece of Lego!
Therefore, before your guests come over, make sure all the toys are safely put away where they belong, advises Rachel Riederman, food stylist, photographer, and the author of Once Upon a Rind in Hollywood. It’s not that you’re trying to hide the existence of a small child, it’s just that you want to allow your guests to move around freely and safely, avoiding undesired incidents.
Pet accessories
Pretty much like children, pets have their own toys spread all across the room. Pet owners spoil their little furry friends with all kinds of beds, plush toys, squeaky toys, and whatnot. Apart from making the room look disorganized and messy, pet accessories can also represent potential hazards.
Stashing your pet’s accessories will improve the overall aspect of your home and will also prevent possible accidents like tripping or slipping on a toy. Not to mention choking, if you have guests coming over with small children who, out of curiosity, might want to tase pet food or play with a small toy.
Cords
In a house full of mobile phones, tablets, computers, and laptops, it’s normal to have cords all over the place. Some people like to have a charging station organized for all devices in their homes. While this simplifies their lives, it can complicate that of their guests.
As explained by Chantelle Hartman Malarkey, an interior designer, home chef, and hosting aesthetic expert, “it’s absolutely easy to have charging stations accessible for everyday living, but when entertaining, quickly unplug them and move to a drawer or room guests will not see to free up some space.” This will add extra points to the image of organization and cleanliness of your home.
Groceries
When hosting a party, reunion, or small get-together, you sometimes run out of things and have to go for some extra grocery shopping. It can happen. However, it’s not recommended to leave those last-minute groceries, especially perishable items, on the floor or on the countertop as they give the impression of chaos and messiness. It’s probably not too appealing to guests to see all those items lying around.
“This does take up space in the kitchen and visually makes it look more chaotic. Take a minute to put these items away and save that countertop space!” recommends Hartman Malarkey.
Mail and papers
With the amount of mail most people receive on daily basis, you might not always have the time or energy to sort all those papers out. It’s easier to just put it on the kitchen counter for later verification. But to guests, the piles of bills and papers give the impression of chaos and disorder, not to mention it leaves less space for gathering space.
As recommended by Hartman Malarkey, such items should be kept in a designated space, like a mail bin, inside a drawer, in another room even, such as a home office. It’s not only the messy picture they create but those papers might contain private information that you do not want anyone to see, much less your guests.
Dirty dishes and towels
If there’s one thing no one likes to see when being a guest is dirty dishes. It’s a clear sign that you’re not ready for company, not to mention that it might gross out your guests. So, before company comes over, make sure you put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher, out of sight and out of mind.
Another thing that might make your guests scrunch their noses is a dirty towel. Or maybe not really dirty but funny smelling. If your dish towels give off a strange odor, you might want to replace them ASAP. No one will want to eat knowing that their plates have been wiped with strange-smelling towels.
You might also like to read more about these 10 Items You Should Never Leave Under the Kitchen Sink.
The trash
You have gone all the way with cleaning your house but forgot a tiny detail: to take out the trash. You might be accustomed to the smell, but your guests will surely notice some unpleasant odor coming from somewhere in the house. So, take out the trash before your guests arrive to avoid stinky situations.
This is also valid when it comes to your cat’s litter box. No one likes to see and smell cat pee and poop, so, make sure you empty it properly and eliminate any bad odors.
Also, check out this article on the 10 Most Common Kitchen Mistakes That Might Make You Sick!
Takeaway
It’s not easy playing the part of the host. You have to make sure everything is in order with the food, the drinks etc. while catering to everyone’s needs with a smile on your face. Regardless of whether it’s a formal or informal reunion, you want things to go as smoothly as possible. Yes, there might be small mishaps and unforeseen events, but the more prepared you are, the better your response and outcome. This is why there are things you should keep in check in advance, like putting away the items discussed in this article. By doing this, both you and your guests will be happy. It’s a win-win. Who doesn’t like that?
