7 Must-Haves to Get Before your Holiday Guests Arrive

We are in the final countdown now. Christmas is just around the corner. Hopefully your shopping is almost done. Now it is time to get ready for holiday guests!

I don’t know about you, but the idea of holiday guests sends me into a panic. My home is lived in. With 6 kids, there’s no such thing as keeping everything perfectly tidy all the time. Having guests means everyone in my house runs around in a mad rush trying to hide the fact that 6 kids live here.

If we are lucky, we can keep it clean for a solid ten minutes.

There are a few essentials we always make sure and have on hand. I always make a quick trip to Walmart to stock up on some basics ahead of time so I can take advantage of sales. Have you heard of the Ibotta app? If you haven’t, you need to download it now. It’s a cool app that let’s you earn cash back on your favorite products, including Kleenex®, Scott®, Viva®, and Cottonelle®.

Download the app here before you head to the store. You’ll be so glad you did.

Think about the needs your guests may have while they are visiting before you stock up on essentials. These are the things I like to have on hand but you can definitely make sure you include anything specific that your guests may need.

Extra Toiletries

It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, someone is going to forget something. Have some extra toiletries on hand so your guests don’t have to run right out to the store. I always try and keep extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner.

Extra Chargers

Let’s face it. We travel with all our gadgets. Your guests are going to need places to charge up. They probably have their own chargers (unless they forgot them, which has happened before) but having a few extra on hand so guests can charge in the main living area if they want is always helpful. Be sure you have an extra outlet free in the room your guests will be staying in too because chances are they have at least a few things they need to plug in. We like to keep an extra surge protecter with several outlets in it for our guests to use.

Wi-Fi password

While we are on the subject of gadgets, your guests are going to need your wi-fi password. Ours is definitely not something I can tell everyone once and have them memorize so we keep it posted visibly so our guests can find it when they need it. Before your guests arrive, make sure you know what your wi-fi password is and find some way to make it accessible to them. I love this cute print from Enchanted Prints:

Extra Toilet Paper

The one thing you do not want to run out of when you have holiday guests it’s toilet paper. Make sure to buy more than you think you will need and stash a few extra rolls in a visible place in each bathroom. Don’t make your guests go hunting for extra toilet paper when the roll is empty. There are some really cute storage options that keep your toilet paper front and center. I’m a big fan of  Cottonelle®. You just can’t go wrong with their extra-absorbent ripples. You’ll just have to debate whether your guests prefer the roll to pull from the bottom or the top . . .

My college roommate made a big deal about the way that everyone put the toilet paper on the roll. Until then I had no idea people felt so strongly about it.

Paper Towels

With extra people in the house, there are going to be messes. I always try to have my house as clean as possible before guests arrive but it always amazes me how quickly my kitchen and bathrooms get messy when you have a full house of people using them. We are constantly on cleanup duty when we have guests in the house so I try and make it easy by keeping plenty of paper towels on hand. Viva® Paper Towels are the strongest ones that I’ve found. I love that they feel more like a cloth. I’ve even rinsed them out and kept using them before.

Extra Pillows

If you are staying at a hotel you can call down to the desk and ask for an extra pillow. Your guests should get that luxury too. Some people like to sleep with several pillows so make sure you have a few extra on hand for anyone who wants them.

A Stocked Medicine Cabinet

Hopefully no one gets sick over the holidays but if they do you want to be prepared. Chances are, someone is going to get a headache or burn themselves in the kitchen, and it’s much easier to deal with those kinds of things when they come up if your medicine cabinet is stocked before hand. Stock up on all the basics, including some general first aid supplies. Hopefully you won’t need any of it, but if you do you’ll be prepared.

What do you do to prepare for holiday guests?

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.