apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

All of the above except for the booze, cause we can't afford that just yet. The guestroom is still piled with boxes from the move, but we've set up the bed and that seems to matter most.

Also - knowing what to do to make the guest feel comfortable, ie. don't ignore them to watch TV; offer food and drink rather than waiting for them to ask;..and don't hog the good chair!

One trick I've learned is that if a certain room is messy - the bathroom for example - I dump the guest with the BF and do a quick wipe down. Same goes for the kitchen (washing hands in between of course!)

"If you entertain frequently, consider creating a signature cocktail to offer your guests."

But not Daquiri's with Honey!

always have nice clean sheets on the spare bed and make sure the room doesn't smell like i would assume the castle in beauty in the beast smells... stale and yucky. lol.

You might like an open door policy, but those of us who work at home wish these people would call first.
I'm not always up for spontaneous entertaining.

This seems oriented to people who think they're still living in a dorm.

As I live in an industrial part of town, only a loon would insist on pretending they just happened to be in the neighborhood. If they ring the bell, I cower behind closed drapes.

Otherwise, I suggest that we go out to the neighborhood bar.

I like guests & am lucky enough to have a place to put them. I keep a separate set of towels/washclothes always folded & ready. There's a healthy assortment of dollar store toiletries in a basket on the dresser to dissaude anyone from poking through my bathroom drawers. And, I keep a few coffee table books nearby for guests who like big, glossy pictures before bedtime.
Prior to this, people slept on my couch in the middle of the livingroom.

I am with Palmetto - although I do not work at home, I am an introvert, and I don't like to be surprised with sudden visits. I like to lounge in my comfy sweat pants, and do whatever I need/want to relax after stressful work (I teach - it's a tough job for an introvert!). So - call first, please! and not 5min before :P

I keep extra toothbrushes in storage in case friends unexpectedly stay the night.

THANK YOU to my fellow introverts! Drop-ins are NOT welcome at our home.

Grammar police: it should be "risen to the occasion," not "rose to the occassion."

Yep, I'm an introvert who likes some notice to get into "guest" mode too! I hardly ever answer the door - everyone who knows me knows I don't like a pop-in and to call first. That's what date books and cell phones are for. It doesn't take more than a minute to be a considerate guest and give some warning.

All that being said, I'd love to be the kind of person who is ready for anyone to drop by at any time, but unless they are doing personality transplants yet, it's not happening.

I always loved the nineteenth Russian novel tradition of telling people "we're at home on Thursdays." I'd love to say that on a certain day of the week, we're always available for drop-ins.

But in general, we entertain very casually, at the drop of a hat. People really don't care if you haven't renovated your kitchen yet, or if you haven't yet replaced the Ikea place-holder with an original Eames piece. People LIKE to hang out at someone else's place. Attitude is 90 percent of entertaining.

I just had 9 people over this evening, impromptu. It's fun, not a chore. These are your FRIENDS you're talking about, no?

i try to make a point of being prepared to invite (or host drop in) friends on a moment's notice - olives, cheese, wine, stocked bar, cocktail napkins... - the over night guests are another story. just this past weekend, a friend called and said he'd be here in two hours... for three days. fortunately, that left me just enough time to dig the guest sheets and towels from the bottom of the mound and launder them. honestly, it is not in my nature to be very easygoing in situations like this, but i try - i aspire to be a gracious host and for my friends to always feel welcome in my home. i try to remind myself that things don't need to be perfect. i find it's better not to stress about the details and just offer what i've got.

I always tell unexpected guests that I play it fast and lose as a hostess this way they aren't so terribly surprised when they wake up to find a sharpie mustache or beaty mark scribble don their face or their underwear hanging from my flag pole.

My house is always open to my friends. But if they aren't giving me notice, I think it would be rude to get drunk and crash at my house. Stopping by and sharing a meal is one thing. Surprising me with a sleepover is...well, unheard of.

Not that I mind people sleeping over. If we have been drinking, I encourage it. It's easier (and cheaper than taking a cab) for them to crash.

I am an introvert, too, but I still don't think that is an excuse to hide inside and not answer the door. I wish I had friends that would drop in unexpected or by calling. I have moved to a new town so I don't know people well enough for anyone to drop in. People should be thankful and lucky they have such friends that care enough to drop in out of the blue because they want to see them. I don't feel like cleaning my house at night before bed, but I force myself to anyway and it is always worth it when I wake up in the morning to a nice clean house, which would be perfect for a drop in, if someone would just drop in some time.

Solution for clean but dusty/ musty guest linens & towels: tumble in the dryer on low 5 or 10 minutes with a fabric softener sheet. Gets the dust right out. Light a nice but NOT overpowering candle in the guest sleep zone to freshen the air. And, please, a small lamp, clock and radio by the bed makes the guest's stay much more comfortable.

The basket of spare toiletries, toothbrush, etc., is so helpful., I was a recent drop-in sleepover at a friend's home due to an emergency situation. Her spares saved me from furry teeth. A spare robe and sleep-shirt is a good thing too! A friend in need IS a friend indeed!

Like designpirate, I'm rather introverted, but I've never turned a friend away who wants to stop by with short notice (they always call first to make sure I'm home, even if they didn't, I wouldn't turn them away...). I try to keep the areas where guests go/see relatively clean (living room, kitchen, guest bath) so that if they are coming on short notice I can usually tidy up quickly to make things at least presentable before they get there.

I usually don't have a lot of food or drinks stocked for guests (I live by myself and they don't come over all that often). But I do offer them whatever I have. The only thing I really ask is that if they are going to drink my wine/liquor that they finish drinking what they pour...

And they always know they can crash on my couch if needed, since I don't have a guest room for them.