Have you got a great aunt or a stepfather who seems impossible to please? This may be tolerable for a couple of hours here and there, but what about when they’re staying in your home? It can be a pretty big nightmare, and generally involves and lot of worry and fuss before they arrive. However, you can go about things in a calm manner if you simply write a list and give yourself enough time to get everything sorted before they turn up at your door with their bags. So whether they’re staying for a day, a night or even longer, here are a few tips that should help to keep you sane.
Make sure you cater to their tastes
Firstly, you should make sure you know what they like to eat, and definitely what they can’t or don’t like to eat. If they’ve travelled some distance to reach you, their favourite tea might do the world of good to get them on your side; I know I prefer a cup of Yorkshire Tea over the other brands available. Check with someone close to them whether they have any dietary restrictions if you are too embarrassed to ask the guest yourself.
Give the bathroom a deep clean
One place that eagle-eyed guests give a once over is the bathroom. You may be able to block them from going into the kitchen by waiting on them hand and foot, but they will need to use the toilet during their stay. If you’ve got lots of bottles and knickknacks lying about, it’s best to recycle the ones that are empty and tidy the rest. Bleach and elbow grease are essential for the deep clean, so make sure you give yourself a few hours for the job. Finishing touches are making sure the bin is empty, folding the toilet paper, and making sure there are clean hand towels.
Clean your floors thoroughly
Another place that is often criticised is the floor. This doesn’t mean you need to get on your hands and knees to pick up specks of dust, but you should make sure that pet hair and dirt is cleaned away; there are plenty of powerful vacuum cleaners available if yours isn’t up to the job. If you’ve got tiles or wooden flooring, you could also give these a mop too.
Make sure there are no unwanted surprises
This point is especially true if your guest is staying overnight. Make sure there are no strange and wonderful objects either displayed or in your drawers in that room. Even consider the books you have on the shelves; I’ve been pretty embarrassed with some of the things I’ve seen in my friends’ rooms in the past. Also check between the cushions on the sofa to make sure nothing is hiding between the cracks.
Display their gifts to you
Finally, if your guest is particularly fussy about gifts and the like, try to appease their inner gift giver and display what they’ve given you in the past. Yes, you may not necessarily like the present they gave to you, but in some situations it is just better to pretend you do and only get the objects out a couple of times a year when they’re around!
