Brunch/lunch/dinner guests:

• Send clear instructions, including a map, if your home is in any way difficult to locate or has tricky parking
• Clean the house and tidy the garden
• Find out if any of your visitors have special dietary requirements
• Plan the menu and do the shopping
• Polish the silver and iron the linen napkins
• Prepare as much of the meal in advance as possible
• If you are doing multiple courses and tend to get flustered once guests are vying for your attention, write a step-by-step plan about what needs to be done as the meal proceeds
• Work out what you are wearing and ensure it's clean and pressed
• Light scented candles or incense
• Set the table
• Have a shower early and freshen up again closer to the guests' arrival time
• Arrange vases of fresh flowers
• Turn on music
• Ensure the bathroom is stocked with beautiful soap and handcream (such as L'Occitane or Aesop), fresh hand towels and toilet paper
• Get as many of the dishes done as you go so that guests don't walk into a sink overflowing with dirty pots and pans
• Put out the general rubbish and compost, and replace bin liners
• Do a final wipe down of kitchen countertops
• Turn on internal lamps and outdoor lights (if arriving at night)
• Be prepared to meet guests at their cars with an umbrella if raining
• Have drinks and hors d'oeuvre ready so that guests feel immediately welcomed.

Remember, your guests are coming to enjoy your company, not to judge you for a competition. They probably won't notice the smeared marks on the glass door or whether there were 3 courses or 5. They just want to have a good time with you!

Overnight guests, as above, plus:

• Dust down the guest room and bathroom
• Remove any items that shouldn't be in there, such as children's toys, paperwork, stored items, and ensure there is room for them to put down and open up a suitcase as well as handbags and laptop bags
• Make the bed with freshly laundered and ironed linens, including an extra blanket or quilt for cooler nights
• Lay out towels, bottled water, eye mask, slippers, pen and notepad, magazines, books and DVDs, chocolates
• Restock guest toiletries in bathroom including toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, makeup remover, moisturiser, deodorant, razor, shampoo, conditioner
• Check that the hairdryer works
• Cut some fresh flowers from the garden and set in vase on bedside table
• If you don't have space for a desk and chair, at least provide a tray or "stable table" so guests can have a flat space to use for writing, balancing their laptop, or having breakfast in bed
• Ensure guest bathrobes are cleaned and hanging in wardrobe or back of door
• Think carefully about wall hangings - whilst you might not see them very often, they will be prominent for the guest/s sleeping in the room so choose calm, comforting, unlikely-to-offend pictures
• Ensure there are multiple spare hangers in the wardrobe and a plastic bag for laundry items - invest in nice wooden hangers (don't be tempted to dump all your old sad hangers in the guest wardrobe)
• Check whether bulbs in lamps and overhead lights need replacing
• Make sure that the bedside clock is on the right time and that alarm setting on the alarm clock is NOT turned on
• Prepare a power board so that guests can charge up items such as laptops and mobile phones
• Turn on heating or cooling prior to their arrival so the room is comfortable, and if cool, I also turn on the electric blanket to take any chill off the bed (but remind them to turn it off again!)
• Tell them where to find the first aid kit (See our suggestions for what should be in the medical version, but also the "emotional" kit!)
• Give them a set of keys if staying for an extended period so they feel free to come and go freely
• Make suggestions about good local walks (and where the dog's lead is if they want a companion!) or where to stop for a coffee
• Write down any codes such as internet wireless passwords so they can logon easily
• Show them how to use any major appliances such as the coffee machine if you are not going to be around to show them in the morning, and lay out breakfast staples such as cereals and breads.

 Share 

Everyone knows how frustrating it can be to have your linen cupboard neat and ordered...except for the pile of fitted sheets.

We did some digging and have put together these options for you and found a few slightly different ones:

• Martha Stewart's version (text with pictures)
• Rachel Yatuzis's version (video)
• Better Homes and Gardens version (text with pictures)
• Molly Piper's version (video)
• Hisgirl777's version (video)
• Jill Cooper's version from Living on a Dime (video)

Images from apartmenttherarpy.com and containerstore.com

 Share 

Beautiful and practical things to have around the house

Aesop hand wash or body cleanser (with pump) at the kitchen sink, guest bathroom sink and in your ensuite

Scented candles - Diptyque are worth the investment - check out some Diptyque options here.

An old fashioned bicycle with basket which will inspire you to go shopping like a Parisian

Pretty-and-practical gardening gloves such as these Jubilee ones from Ethel - great for gardening, bringing in wood for the fire, putting out the rubbish, and getting a grip on awkward boxes

Lamps with dimmer switches to enable mood and reading light

A retro fridge from Smeg

A boxset of Audrey Hepburn films and a pretty ironing board cover such as these ones from CityChicCountryMouse's Shop on Etsy will help with the boredom than can be induced from ironing

Handpicked flowers or container of herbs from your own garden on the kitchen table, on hallway tables and next to sinks in bathrooms

A bowl of lemons for cooking, cleaning and delicious extra scent

An Art Deco cocktail stand or Chinoiserie lacquered tray containing Vermouth, Gin, Vodka, Rum, Brandy, Whisky, Cointreau, Tequila, Bitters, cocktail shaker, cocktail-making implements, toothpicks, and at least 4-6 cocktail glasses - we like Riedel - plus olives, anchovies and lemons for garnishes ready in the fridge

Tea towels from Cath Kidston

A folding trolley and folding kitchen steps which can help move and lift items between the car and around the house more easily, and with hopefully fewer injuries

A cherry red KitchenAid stand mixer

A dedicated guest room (if you're lucky!) or a large box for unexpected-and-weary guests, filled with beautiful linen, towels, pillow, quilt, Frette waffle robe and slippers, as well as a bottle of mineral water, eye mask, magazines and books, and mini pack of toiletries. You could even include some chocolates and DVDs (see our recommendations) if you won't be free to entertain them.

Share  

Avoiding work and looking for ways to divert yourself? Then have a flick through our luscious photo galleries on our Luscious on Facebook page. Here's a taster...

Sophia Loren	Sarah Richardson and Sarah's House	Luscious wines and wine regions

 Whilst you're at it, why not become a fan of our FB page and get daily Luscious updates!