Etiquette for Hosting House Guests

Do you enjoy hosting guests and entertaining or do you feel like you'd rather chew your own arm off? From anyone I've asked, I find they either love it and cannot wait until their next in-home gathering to show off their skills or they simply dread preparing for and hosting others in their home. Some are excited to see their guests but simply don't enjoy all of the cleaning and tiresome preparations that go into entertaining and hosting, which I can certainly understand. It's no wonder many exhale a big sigh of relief when their guests depart.

Many have voted on our poll and asked for more posts on manners and etiquette, so I wanted to focus on how to be a great host as the holiday season will be filled with these opportunities.

Whenever I do have house guests I like to go out of my way to make sure that their stay will feel like home to them. A place to feel cozy and that they want to return to. I have been a house guest myself many times and it has been rare that I truly feel at home or comfortable. If you are entertaining this holiday season and find yourself putting up family or friends, here are some great tips so that you'll make them feel welcome and shine as a great host:

1. Prepare Them Before They Arrive-If you live in a small home or have limited bedroom space available, don't feel the need to give up your own bed. However, if they'll be sleeping on an airbed or pull-out sofa in the middle of your livingroom without privacy, be sure to mention it to them beforehand so they can pack proper sleep attire and earplugs or an eye mask if necessary. Find out any flight or train details so you can pick them up when they arrive and greet them (if it is possible) which is most preferable or let them know about the nearest rental car agency if they need to grab a car or a cab, etc.

2. Pick Up- If you are picking guests up upon arrival, you'll want to help them with their luggage into the car if you are fit to do so. After a long flight or train ride where travelers are exhausted, this would be a sweet gesture. Greeting guests at an airport gate is a lovely idea but not always practical with airport parking fees and the extra time it takes. If your guests are travelling within the same country, it is perfectly acceptible to drive up to the arrivals baggage claim door. However, if it is a long lost relative, someone elderly or a friend travelling on a long flight halfway around the world, a gate greeting with some flowers would be most appropriate.

2. Lay Down Some Basic House Rules-If you do not smoke in your home, be sure to let those that do know where they can go to light up-the garage, the front porch, end of the driveway, etc. For those that do not wear shoes in their home (as we do in our home), be sure to communicate that to your guests in a lighthearted way when they arrive. You may want to provide some slippers, especially in the colder months. If there are several people sharing a bathroom, be sure to show each guest which one it is and allow them to work out a schedule for themselves. To make things easier for you, let them know that your house is their house. This way they can take initiative to make their own coffee early in the morning, or make themselves a snack so you don't feel like you are doing everything.

3. Making it Clean and Cozy- This is one of the most important areas I consider when entertaining. While everyone's home is different, there are many little things you can do to make their room feel like home while visiting. Here are a few:

• Clean & Fresh-Be sure that all bedding and sheets are fresh for each house guest you have. I have slept at a home once where the pillowcase didn't smell clean and it was not only gross but I didn't sleep well that night. Needless to say, I now carry my own clean pillowcase when I stay in someone's home. Also make sure the room is clean too, vacuumed and free of dust or dirt of any kind. If the room is rarely used be sure to clean under the bed and also wash any drapery to remove excess dust. Keep a small trash bin inside the room as well as in the bathroom for your guests so they don't have to hunt for one. Likewise, keep some rolled, clean towels and a face cloth for your guests at the foot of the bed and let them know where to locate extras.

• Reading Materials-Many guests don't sleep well in a new place, so to keep an insomniac happy, provide a few magazines and a few books that would be of interest. Keep a stack on top of or on a shelf of the nightstand. Be sure that there is a nightstand lamp so they can actually read without having to get up to turn the light on and off. Nightlights in the halls will help your guest find their way to the bathroom and kitchen at night.

• Midnight Snacks- At our house, I like to provide a little box of sweet treats or gourmet chocolates and bottled water with a glass and place it directly on the nightstand for midnight snacking. If your home is more dry or warm than your guest is used to, this may soothe a dry throat or keep them hydrated after a flight also. It also prevents the clanking of glasses and the sound of cabinet doors closing as they hunt for what hey need while you are trying to sleep.

• Climate Control-If you like to keep the AC to a minimum in the summer months and do not have a ceiling fan installed in the guests room, have a fan on hand to keep their room cool. Likewise, provide extra blankets or possibly a small room heater in cooler months.

• Toiletries-Be sure to keep some extra toiletries on hand for your guests as it's easy to forget something while packing. If you have some travel size bottles of shampoo, conditioner or body wash, lay them out on top of a fresh folded towel for your guest or place them in a little basket with other bath items that may be useful to them. Toothpaste seems to be a common item that gets left at home if they share with a spouse so be sure to keep some extra on hand. Another item to provide is a hair dryer, they are heavy and many people forget them, be sure to provide a regular or travel size dryer for them. Irons and ironing boards may be needed so let your guest know where they can find them.

• A corner of their own- If you know you'll be entertaining and hosting often or the guest bathroom is a shared space in your house with other family members or guests, a really nice touch (and practical necessity really) is a little corner sink with a beautiful mirror hung above it along with a small towel ring and hand towel. It creates a private place for your guests to do a light freshening up before coming out of their room in the morning and can be used for washing their face, applying makeup, putting in or removing contact lenses, brushing their teeth along with taking prescription medication/vitamins. In addition, it's the perfect spot to get a glass of water in the middle of the night without waking others while they roam the halls to find the nearest bathroom or kitchen in the dark. It really makes a guest feel welcomed and as if they truly have their own little oasis away from home. If you have a larger family, it's always nice to have yet one more little sink area for when things become overcrowded even when the guests have long gone.

• Something Special- Do something a little different to make your guests' visit memorable. I always like to write a personal handwritten card welcoming my guests that are staying, noting that I'm looking forward to our time together. It's something a little extra, but it makes people feel welcomed into your home. Another simple touch is to place a photo of you and your guest from years gone by in a frame in the room where they'll be staying. Fresh flowers are also a nice addition. You could buy your guests' favorite flowers or simply buy a mixed bunch and separate each individual smaller grouping of flowers into smaller vases and place some in their bedroom and some in the guest bathroom as well.

4. Entertainment- Depending on the nature of your guests' visit, you may or may not be showing them around town or acting as entertainment director. If you are working or not able to show them around and they are simply staying in your home, be sure to find some web links and bookmark them on your computer or print them off some info. If you can get your hands on some tourist info such as maps and activities, that will make their life much easier.

If you are going to be showing them around, be sure to prepare those plans in advance and find out admission times and prices to local venues and plan out which restaurants they may enjoy. Entertaining others can be expensive so keep your budget in mind and give them some options of what is available. If they are interested in some attractions that are outside of your price range, be upfront with them and let them know you'd love to spend time with them and see such attractions but that they aren't financially feasible for you. They'll understand and may even offer to pay for your admission or will agree to something less pricey.

5. Meals- Do not feel that because you are the host that it is your responsibility to cook constantly for everyone. If it is part of your routine and you enjoy it then by all means go for it, however if it isn't perhaps you can cook one meal for everyone on one particular evening or agree to go out to a restaurant. Leave the rest of the time for your guests to figure out meals on their own. Breakfast is generally simple and can easily be provided by having a couple boxes of cereal on hand, juice, fruit and some yogurt or some granola bars for those that are on-the-go. Do make sure your fridge is stocked with necessities so you can pull something together for lunch if you need to or if your guest needs to make a sandwich, but it is not your job to fund all of their meals or groceries unless you so desire.

6. Departure-If you are available to drop guests off at the airport, it is a nice departure and I highly recommend it. If, however, you are working or are not available at the hour they are leaving, just be sure to provide a snack for the road and see them off with a smile and let them know how much you enjoyed their visit. Provide a spare key to be left in the mailbox or under a mat if you will not be around when they leave, so they can lock up.

If your guests are leaving at an unsensible hour such as before 6am or after 11pm, you might want to call a cab for them to the airport or see them off with a hug, wave from the doorstep and then head to bed. It will not at all be considered rude that you are not driving them to the airport an hour from your house at 5am. After all, with so many flight times available those are things for your guest to consider while booking their trip.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the do's and dont's of being a house guest. In the meantime, you can read this previous post on how to be a grateful guest.

Do you have any wonderful memories as a guest in a friend's home or have you experienced any faux pas that a host has done while you've stayed with them? Leave a comment and share your experience. What do you do to make your guests feel special?

Thank you for reading!

XO



*image source

Organize Your Handbag in 5 Minutes

Do you struggle to find your cell phone in your handbag when it rings? Do you have a hard time finding important items when you need them the most? It may be time to do a little de-cluttering. Here is a concise little guide to keep your most important stuff within reach and will save you precious time.

HANDBAG ORGANIZING GUIDE

1. Empty the contents of your purse onto a table or other surface at home (not in public!)

2. Sort in 4 piles: garbage, relocation, keep in purse, to be filed. Start with obvious trash items like candy wrappers, tissues, old business cards and papers. Take it straight to the garbage when you are done cleaning out your bag. Once all trash is cleared out, move onto to what you know you will keep in your purse.


3.  Items to Keep: These should include keys, wallet, sunglasses in case, cell phone, one quality working pen, one package of gum (or mints) , dental floss and/or a toothbrush with small tube of toothpaste. You might also require a small tissue packet and a lip balm/gloss or lipstick/lip gloss and one hair clip or tie. If you plan to keep makeup in your bag,  place it in a small portable makeup bag or a ziploc bag so you don't have to rifle through your whole bag for it. You may also want either a brush or a comb and a small tube of hand cream as well as a tiny lint roller. In a smaller zipped side pocket you might keep a small pack of medication or feminine hygiene products.


Items to reallocate would be things like kids toys, extra pens, pads of paper, CD's, extra hair clips, combs, brushes, travel size hairspray.


4. File any receipts, documents, appointment cards etc. right away as to avoid losing them altogether.


5. Open up your wallet and remove any expired coupons, old receipts, papers, and toss them, leaving only your own country's currency, a couple of your own business cards, and your checkbook if applicable.


6. Find any appointment cards business cards that need to be filed and do so now. Find a home for foreign coins and bills.


7. Keep all relevant cards, stamps, and credit cards, eliminiating all rewards points cards that you rarely use. Instead take these with you only when you know you'll be heading to that particular store. Make photocopies of all important credit cards and documentation and put it in a safe place, in case you lose something.


Keep your purse and wallet organized by weekly going through it and removing receipts, trash, papers and cards that don't belong. I recommend doing this on Sunday night to start the new week afresh. See if you can make your purse lighter by trading change out for bills at the bank or local coin changer. Store all baby and kids items in a separate diaper bag or knapsack as to not turn your handbag into a dumping ground.

I wrote this article a couple years ago and it was inspired by a friend that could never seem to find what she needed in her bag; particularly while in checkout lines, which seemed to be frustrating for her and everyone else behind her in line.  I hope it will help you stay organized!

Do you make it a habit to organize your handbag and wallet? Do you have other organizing habits that you keep up with to make your life easier? Share them with us!

Thanks for Reading!

XO

Happiness is an Inside Job!

I came across this quote the other day and how true it is! Many people often look for happiness in things, people, their children or an event. The truth is that we cannot be happy until we make the decision to be just that. It's easy to get wrapped up into thinking, "I'll be happy when __________" fill in the blank, and miss the moment that we're currently in.

It's okay not to be perfect or have everything figured out, because the truth is that nobody else does either.

Try to quiet your mind today, be still and breathe in the present moment. Can you hear the birds chirping? Do you delight in the little squirrel on your front yard stuffing it's little face with nuts? Beauty is all around us if we simply choose to focus on it. 

I spent last week in the San Francisco bay area visiting my father and everyday I was overjoyed to take in all that I could whether it be a drive along the coast to inhale the ocean air, watch the sea lions flop around by the Pier in Santa Cruz or take in the beautiful redwood trees in Palo Alto.


Today I'm happy to spend the day with a dear friend who is visiting from out of town. While we have some loose plans in place so that she can make the most of her 3 day visit, we're both open to what the day has for us. We look forward to delighting in each other's company and having some girly fun.

If you are in a frustrating, winter season of your life and are  looking for inspiration I encourage you to read this post.

I hope you'll make your day a happy one, no matter what it holds for you!

Easy Tips for Keeping a Clean Fridge

As some of you know, I'm a writer and I have several published articles on the web. I thought this one in particular was appropriate as Thanksgiving draws near and the holidays are quickly approaching. I try to keep my cleaning tasks as manageable as possible by chipping away at them little by little instead of having them pile up on me, which then requires a huge spring cleaning. Here is a guide that I put together so you can stay on top of your largest appliance-the fridge.

FRIDGE CLEANING GUIDE

Cleaning our fridge is generally not at the forefront of our mind until things start piling up. To avoid this problem, a weekly quick clean is best. If you follow these simple steps you will never have to do a fridge spring clean again! Here's how:

 1. Wipe Down- Use a sponge or light, soft scrubbing pad and soak with soap and water or a kitchen cleaner to wipe down the exterior of the fridge. If you have lots of papers and magnets on the fridge, take those off first. Consider only keeping 3 magnets on the side or front of the fridge as this tends to instantly make a kitchen look cluttered. Remove all sticky marks, fingerprints and don't forget to wipe the top of the fridge for dust if you have access to the top.


2. To eat, or not to eat? Open your fridge and pull out a garbage bag. Do a process of elimination by sorting, keeping and tossing. Go shelf by shelf and start grabbing items and looking at expiry and best before dates. Anything expired goes into the garbage. Likewise anything that looks like a leftover (and you are unsure of when it was placed in there) goes too. Any other items that you don't need, want or use will also go. Anything you truly need and do use will go back in after the cleaning, set aside on the counter in one area. Do the same with the freezer


3. Clean on the inside. This is the most important part of the process. Now that the fridge is free from food items and containers you can take each glass shelf out and clean with kitchen spray or soap and water followed by a wipe down with glass cleaner. Make sure the inside corners and walls of the fridge are also wiped down. In the door of the fridge you'll clean each storage compartment then move to the fruit and veggie crispers etc. Take a good look and make sure that everything is sparkling. Wipe down all the bottles and containers with soapy water, dry and replace into the fridge.


4. Keep Odor under Control- Place a new opened box of baking soda at the back of the top shelf of the fridge. This will help keep odor in check as the baking soda absorbs bad smells. Always take a permanent marker and write the date on the box. Remember to change it every 3 months. In addition always place items in the fridge in either a plastic sealed bag or plastic container. If you leave an onion half-cut in the crisper, you fridge will smell like an onion and your milk and juices will taste like it. Smells travel so keep them at bay. Also add a baking soda box to the freezer and follow the same premise.


5. Keep Leftovers in the Clear. There is nothing worse than opening leftovers from a month ago and having to smell and see what is inside. Know what is inside of every container by investing in some inexpensive clear storage containers. You might want to use some clear labels to list the date and the contents. Leftovers will get buried in opaque containers. You are also more likely to see the item and eat it instead of wasting it as it winds up in the trash.


6. Everything in its Place- Set up your fridge so that like items are located in the same place. For example all condiments can live in the fridge door on one or two shelves All large containers of juice, milk and water are best on the top shelf of the fridge. Raw meat belongs on the bottom shelf as not to cross-contaminate should it leak. Each shelf can have a theme almost. Shelf two could be grain products like muffins, bagels, bread and maybe the associated spreads like peanut butter or butter. Use the fruit and vegetable crispers separately for what they are intended. This makes for faster cooking and preparation when you don't have to search the whole fridge for one item.


7. Stay on top of it! It is easy to see a gooey jam spill in the fridge and say "I'll get it later". Later usually becomes never and then everything else becomes sticky too. You'll do yourself a huge favor by selecting a day, maybe the same day you clean the rest of your home or a grocery shopping day, to keep it clean. When you look into your fridge weekly you'll only need to wipe it down, glass clean a few shelves, wipe down a couple containers and toss an item or two that has expired.



The Fridge can seem like a whale of a job but only if you let it get that far. Tackle this big job once today and the payoff will be well worth it as you will spend minimal time with its upkeep. Not only is it presentable to your family members and house guests, it is a way to keep your home more hygienic and your family free from unexpected food-related illnesses.

For another great home cleaning post using natural ingredients click HERE. For some quick tips on how to keep a clean car click HERE.

Out of interest, who does the cleaning in your home-yourself, your spouse, roomate or are the duties shared?

Modern Manners and Everyday Etiquette

When I created the readers' poll in September, I wanted to get your feedback so I could tailor the posts for you, the reader. We've only had 6 responses so far but the most requested topic by far for future posts is Manners and Etiquette.

If you haven't voted yet, please do! You can find it about halfway down the page on the left hand side.

These past few weeks have been busy and I've been doing some traveling out of state which will be followed by a visit from one of my girlfriends later this week. I've been able to keep this blog updated by using the scheduling feature. If you haven't tried it, it really is a helpful tool when on vacation or during busy holiday times too. When you post, instead of selecting automatic posts, choose a scheduled date and time under 'Post Options' and the scheduler will do the rest after you hit the 'publish post' button.

Once I'm back on my regular schedule you'll see many new posts on various topics but I will be sure to make etiquette of particular focus.

Do you have questions about manners and etiquette? Did you find yourself in a particular scenario where you were unsure what the proper etiquette was or do you have a general question pertaining to this topic? Leave a comment and I'll write you back in the comments section where others can feel free to leave their personal experiences or advice should they so choose. I want this blog to be interactive so that you can get the most out of it. Should your question be of a private nature, you can email me by clicking on the envelope in the left margin.

I look forward to reading your comments and questions!

Great Lowfat Snack Idea!

A month ago I was typing on my laptop and had QVC on in the background as Harley Pasternak was on, a well-known celebrity Personal Trainer. After many years of focusing on those in Hollywood, Harley has finally put together a meal plan book and a workout program for the rest of the world. How exciting! He is a wealth of knowledge and I was really happy to see a quick snack that he was preparing on the show.


I often eat apples, or peanut butter with celery but I'm always looking for quick and easy snack ideas that won't pack on the calories. So, I can take two of my go-to ingredients and bring them together. Here's the recipe:


Yogurt Apple Dip


1 tbsp peanut butter (preferably natural non-hydrogenated)
2 tbsp low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 apple


Mix the first two ingredients in a bowl. You could use a food processor, however you can just as easily whip it up in the bowl with a fork or spoon. Slice up the apple into several slices and dip away!


Peanut butter offers a bit of protein on its own, however plain Greek yogurt is strained ( there is less water ) so it has a thicker consistency and offers much more protein than regular plain yogurt alone. The protein and fat help slow the breakdown of the sugar in the apple which slows the insulin response. Besides all of that it just tastes good and keeps you full too!


In our home we like to use granny smith apples because they are more tart in flavor and Smucker's all natural creamy peanut butter with honey. It provides a little sweetness but I'm trying to migrate us over to their natural peanut butter without honey, since we don't need the extra sugar. It has now become one of my favorite regular snacks.

In keeping with the theme of health and nutrition, if you are looking to up your water intake, read this post.


What are your favorite low-fat snack ideas? Do you have one that you like to make every day or do you get bored and need to mix it up with a new one each day? Leave a comment and share your favorite healthy snack suggestions so we can all try something different!

Always Give the Benefit of a Doubt

Last week was a crazy week for me. I had the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with some friends and family members that I hadn't seen in a while. Sometimes the daily aspects of life seem to take over and it's so easy to put off visits and catch up sessions until you've realized a few months have passed.

I was able to spend a wonderful day with my husband's Aunt window shopping and having lunch. We were able to catch up and reconnect which was much needed for both of us. Later that week my mother-in-law had some free passes to Epcot so I was blessed to be able to join her for the day and experience the International Food & Wine Show as well. It was a day well spent.

The day before heading to Epcot, I learned that a previously close friend was in town for vacation, staying with family, and asked if I was able to meet up with her. I was able to set aside one day where I could drive out and meet her. I should preface this by saying it had been over 3 years since I last saw her. Actually, the last time I saw her was at our wedding. She leads a very busy lifestyle and has an equally demanding career. I had made some attempts to contact her but hadn't ever heard back. From time to time I had wondered if there would be a chance for us to reconnect once I was back in my hometown. I had even started to wonder if perhaps she was upset or diappointed with me for one reason or another. Given the fact that everything was fine before seeing her at the wedding, the only thing I could come up with was perhaps she hadn't received the thank you card for her wedding gift that I had mailed her. But knowing her, I knew that wasn't her style, so I let that thought go.

We were able to catch up starting from my wedding date up until the current day and I got to learn all about what has been going on in her life and she mine. It was a really great day and after an hour or so it felt like old times. I had even jokingly mentioned that because we hadn't chatted in so long that I wondered if perhaps it was due to something like her being upset with me, or perhaps not receiving the thank you card? I sort of laughed it off knowing that she probably thought I was being silly. Suprisingly, she said, "actually you know, I never did receive a thank you card." I was shocked and somewhat disturbed by the fact that I believed all this time that she had in fact received it. It was important to me for everyone's gifts to have felt appreciated and I love to send thank you cards. It made me wonder who else didn't receive theirs, since I had sent out every single one exactly one month after our wedding day and all at once.

Our conversation was a bit akward after that for a few minutes and later on in the evening she had jokingly brought it up again, so I wasn't convinced that she believed that I had actually sent the card. It made me wonder how often certain events take place in our lives and how quick we might be to assume instead of give the benefit of the doubt instead.

It's so easy to let your imagination run away with you, instead of believing the best about someone. I once heard somebody say that we judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions.

I know there have been times where I have tried to figure out why something worked out the way it did, or assumed instead of giving someone the benefit of the doubt. It will be my goal going forward to believe the best about everyone, especially the people who have disappointed me time and time again and whose stories don't always line up. It is not my job to figure everyone out or judge anyone's motives but rather to love others unconditionally and treat them as I would want to be treated.

Have any of you experienced something similar?

Blessings!