How To Be A Good Hostess

Recently my mom and I were discussing what makes a good hostess and what makes a good guest and so we thought we’d share a few tips with you in this two part series.  Today we are going to share a few points on how to be a good hostess when you’re having people stay at your home.  And let me just reassure you that I need to work on both of these areas!  I certainly don’t have it all figured out but we’ve been blessed to host a lot of people as well as be guests in strangers/friend’s homes.  We also realize that people have different styles of hosting and that’s totally awesome.  Think of these as “guidelines” 😉

Be calm
This one speaks for itself.  Someone who is rushing around like a chicken with their head cut off will not put their guests at ease.  Instead it makes them feel like they are imposing.

Be welcoming
I know this probably seems like a given but have you ever been at someone’s home who wasn’t warm and welcoming?  It’s not fun.  Your countenance will set the tone.  People can tell if you’re not thrilled to have them.  So be excited when they arrive!  I think this also goes to say that if you just don’t feel like you’re up for the task of hosting people it’s okay to ask people to come at another date or even just say no.  We’ve had times when we’ve let people come at the drop of a hat though.  Which leads me to my next point.

Be flexible
I can’t stress this one enough probably because if you aren’t flexible you will end up being stressed!  Remember how I said that we’ve had people come at a moments notice?

Well last summer my cousin showed up in town with four other guys and they ended up crashing at our place for the night.  I literally found out a few hours before they came.  Thankfully they were awesome guests (that’s the next part of the series) and we wished they could have stayed a little longer.  Because we were able to just run with it we ended up having a great time but if you’re stressed about feeding people or where they will sleep it makes for a bummer of a deal for you and for them.

Part of being flexible also means letting go of expectations for how you want things done.  This may mean ditching your idea of a beautiful dinner and instead ordering take out when guests come to town.  If you want to be a good hostess be flexible.  One time my brother brought some friends home for Christmas and it was a last minute deal.  We didn’t know them at all and weren’t sure how it would all work out but in the end we had one of the best Christmases we’ve ever had.  While it’s okay to say no to having people in your home you may be pleasantly surprised when you’re flexible enough to let people stay.

Be prepared
Yes, be flexible but if you know guests are going to be arriving take some time to be prepared.  Is your guest joining you for dinner?  Prepare ahead of time something you can just pull together quickly that way if you’re out all day sight seeing or having adventures or even just coming from work things will flow smoothly.  Buy extra toilet paper.  Always have fresh linens and towels ready.  These are the sorts of things that help make for an enjoyable time being a hostess.  If you want a more detailed list on how to create a guest basket and help people feel at home in your house then you can check out the list HERE that I’ve made of practical ways to do so. Plus there is a sweet FREE welcome printout (like the one above) and a wifi printout too!

If you have a stranger coming through town that just needs a place to stay:
You can still use the tips above but also feel free to go about your life.  Tell them to make themselves at home.

If you’re having a friend for the weekend:
Let them know your schedule beforehand so that they can know what to expect from you time wise.  If you have the entire time blocked off to hang out with them then have a blast!

If you’re having a long term guest (more than 2-3 nights):
Don’t feel like you have to entertain people the whole time.  Hopefully they’ve come with a plan and if not feel free to suggest things and explain the public transportation.

Psst. Here’s those freebies to help make life a little easier and prettier next time you host guests! Enjoy, friends!

I hope that this topic on how to be a good hostess was helpful! What are your best hostess tips? Anything you’d add to this list? Do you have a beautiful or horrible tale to share with us about a time you hosted guests? I’d love to hear you stories in the comments below!