I always feel a little unsure as a guest in someone else's home. I want to be as polite as possible, and that can lead to some anxiety. Can I go through that door? Are those snacks for everyone? Where's the bathroom? Here's a trick that can help worrying guests such as me.
When you have a few guests over to an apartment, and you don't have a dedicated coat rack, coats usually go on the bed. But if it's wet out, and you have a nice bedspread, grab some hangers and have guests hang their coats from the shower curtain rod over the tub instead.
Is your home always stocked with the cushiest brand of tissues, toilet paper, paper towels and napkins? Good, stop reading. Everyone else: This is a remedial course in how to fill your home with paper hygiene products like an adult. I realised the importance of this course when discovering that several of my younger friends don't buy tissues. Before you send another guest to the bathroom to blow their nose, please read.
After upgrading my laptop, I spent months feeling bad that I hadn't yet sold the old one. It sat around for months, until one day when a friend was over to work on a writing project. He hadn't brought his computer, so I fired up the spare laptop, whisking away my guilt. That spare computer has now become a dedicated guest computer.
When inviting people into our homes, it can be easy to view everything with super-critical eyes. It's natural to want to apologise for these supposed shortcomings, but the word "sorry" should never escape your lips.
When you live in a tiny studio apartment, the smallest lapse in cleaning can make the place look like a huge mess. Having a quick cleaning routine every morning can help.
When it comes to entertaining, I really embrace the whole "the more the merrier" thing, but that philosophy does not extend to dishes. To cut down on the amount of sudsy labour I'll have to do after guests leave, I'll be using The Kitchn's "one person = one drinking vessel" rule.
If you have friends or family crashing on your couch, give them a tray to store their small items like their keys, wallet or phone. They will be less likely to lose their stuff in your living room -- or any room -- with a simple tray as a catch all for loose items.
It's tough when you have to share a bathroom with a guest -- or a host -- and there's nowhere to put your toiletries. If you're hosting guests, save them the trouble and remember to declutter before they arrive.
