How To

Get Guest-Ready

Welcome Them Warmly

The holiday welcome wagon starts at the front door. Decorate your front door with festive flair to give guest a sneak peek as to what’s inside. This year, we love wintry wreaths, silvery sparkles and twinkling lights. A festive door makes a great first impression and will set the tone for your celebrations.

TIP: If your guests are staying overnight, have the WiFi password ready for them. Then, they won't have to ask.

Layer a Cozy Guest Bed

Update your guest room by swapping out the everyday duvet and pillow shams with seasonal patterns, like plaid, stripes and woodland-inspired designs. (Think reindeer and snowcapped trees.) ’Tis the season to snuggle up, so make sure your overnighters are extra comfy at night, with faux fur and sherpa throws at the end of the bed or on a shelf with easy access. For in-laws and the like, go the extra mile and hand a personalized stocking from the footboard. If they are on the nice list, fill them up with goodies they can unwrap on Christmas morning.

TIP: Don’t have a guest room? Invest in multifunctional pieces, like a sofa or a daybed that can live in any room. Find one that’s comfortable, chic and easy to pull out and put away, so you can transition between day and night with ease.

Stock the Bar

When the weather outside is frightful, a good cocktail becomes all the more delightful. Before your guests arrive, get a sense of what they like to drink – and if they take it straight up or with a twist. It can be fun playing bartender, especially when you have all the bells and whistles for the ultimate home bar.

TIP: If you live near a brewery, winery or distillery, buy local. This makes cocktail hour a little more special for out-of-town guests.

Set the Holiday Table

Make room for everyone with our Caterer’s Box, which has plenty of place settings to make sure everyone’s ready to party. Use your eye for design to create unique place settings (but don’t think you have to stick solely to red and green). Jewel-tone velvets and festive plaids easily find their place at the holiday dinner table. Try a solid runner and layer on playful placemats and dinnerware, and finish with a centerpiece that works best for your space.

TIP: Find ideas for easy DIY centerpieces here.

Refresh the Bath

First things first: organization. Have plenty of baskets and bins on hand so your guests don’t have to live out of their toiletry bags during their stay. Then, take a cue from your favorite hotel when prepping for guests: details like fluffy towels and luxurious faux fur robes will really wow them. (Have at least two sets of towels per guest for anything longer than a weekend stay.) Botanicals in bud vases and mini toiletries are nice touches and will instantly make your guest bath feel more like a five-star resort.

Tip: Toothbrushes and toothpaste are often forgotten when traveling, so have extras handy. This small detail will put you at host-with-the-most status.