As a busy parent, hosting house guests can be quite a juggling act. Being a mom is hard enough. Especially when we try to balance homeschooling, career growth, and on top of that: time with friends and family.
Give yourself some grace. Your life doesn’t have to be thrown off-balance because of visitors or overnight guests.
While you want to be an exceptional host, there may be those embarrassing moments with the kids or mishaps with recipes. You might not have enough time to renovate your whole house or even create a spotless environment.
Remind yourself that not everything has to go perfectly. Your family or friends will appreciate the gesture no matter what can help you feel a little more relaxed.
Many of us will be hosting house guests throughout the year. It is an experience we can all relate to.
With a little preparation and planning, hosting house guests can be both manageable and fun! Here are some practical tips for staying in balance while hosting guests in your home.
These are ways you can find balance through it all and enjoy the visit.
4 Tips to Achieve Balance When You Have Houseguests
Recruit Your Family for Help and Enjoy Some Bonding Time
Never hesitate to ask your family for help around the house. This is a great opportunity to take some of the responsibilities off your shoulders. It gives your kids some learning experiences, ways to keep busy, and provides some quality time alongside dad too.
Before the guests arrive, you can split chores between vacuuming, putting toys away, washing the dishes, setting the table, and taking inventory to ensure there’s enough cutlery, food, and toiletries for everyone.
If there’s a last-minute home renovation you’ve been putting off, now’s the time to wrap it up together. Once guests arrive, you can even have the kids give a quick tour of the house.
Don’t forget to leave the Wi-Fi password written somewhere. Guests love thoughtfulness.
During these more hectic times, it can be easy for us to forget about spending quality time with family. But tackling these tasks together will help everyone fit in time to learn and have fun.
Take Time to Organize and Declutter in Advance
Houseguests love a clean, calm, and freshened environment. Don’t worry about getting every speck of dust. Simply vacuuming, freshening up the bathrooms, picking up any toys, using an essential oil diffuser, and opening the windows in the summertime can help create that refreshing atmosphere.
Take the time to organize misplaced items and avoid work or schoolwork being the center of attention. Rather than belongings being spread out, you can even arrange a dedicated room for kids to play in. This step will help create more space for your guests.
Lastly, when was the last time you went through your children’s toy box? Decluttering is crucial, especially for growing families!
Before guests come over, consider using the KonMari method that focuses on discarding items that no longer spark joy. You’ll be done before you know it!
It’ll save you more time when preparing for the next visit.
Spruce Up the Gathering Spaces in Your Home
Creating a space where people will want to gather can be more complex than you may think.
What details are necessary to help achieve this look? Where do your guests like to unwind and relax?
Undoubtedly, it’s important to help guests feel welcomed. This step is where you can harness a bit of inspiration to help your home go from feeling dated to dazzling.
Have you always wanted to DIY something you’ve seen on HGTV, but you weren’t sure where to start?
It’s not easy to find uninterrupted time to research and get materials for a project, but it can be another opportunity to get your kids involved. Some easy, popular DIYs include updating furniture with paint, making floating shelves for decor, and creating a focal accent wall.
Accent walls are a quick, affordable way to bring a new vibe to the space. With a trendy, simplistic design such as shiplap, which is a type of wood paneling, this effortlessly compliments your decor style.
There are various different ideas for shiplap walls, so use this opportunity to prep the space and watch the magic happen. Creating a shiplap accent wall only takes about a weekend to complete. It has a big impact on adding to a comfortable, trendy space that is sure to impress your guests.
If you’d like to take an aesthetic design a step further, consider installing permanent hooks for coats, scarves, bags, and similar belongings. This way, guests can also easily find their items and feel more comfortable in the space.
>>Getting new furniture? Take a look at this guide to buying furniture in a more sustainable way. Great tips to keep in mind if you are buying a new couch or need to get rid of furniture in your home.<<<
Take a Moment to Yourself
Don’t forget about yourself, mom! After all, a healthy, balanced host is a happy host.
Before you find yourself running out of time, organize your schedule to fit in time for relaxation or anything that will put you in a good headspace. As a working or homeschooling mom, this can be especially beneficial to stay on track after the visit.
Some ideas for taking time for yourself include:
- having a glass of wine after you clean
- taking a bubble bath after the kids are down for the night
- cozying up with a book by the fireplace
- exercising in a spare room to start your day
- having lunch with a friend while the kids are at school
Choose any hobby that gets you recharged to take on whatever comes your way next.
This is a great time to remember – we’re only human!
Our own guests know what it’s like to have chores and messes pile up at their home. We just may not see it.
Balancing the journey of motherhood can be a challenge. It is truly a full-time job. With a little planning, organization, and communication, you can enjoy your houseguests and get work done.
More than anything, remember that your guests will be mostly focused on quality time with you. Ensuring balance will set you up for a happy, stress-free visit.
Do you have any tips for preparing for hosting house guests?
Taking some time for yourself really is key to all of it. I find so much of my identity in being a good mom, but to truly be a good mom, I need to take a few minutes to an hour to just myself everyday. Per your tip I’ve started working out in a spare room and it has made a huge different, especially as we prepare to host my in-laws for the fourth of July. You don’t have to tackle everything on your own and there are professional services out there that can give you an awesome boost.
Thank you! Good tips.
Wow, the post was really nice to read. Thanks a lot for sharing this article.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for stopping by!
These are great tips for keeping the home in balance. We are going to be the proud hosts of a lot of extended family (and many grandkids!) here in a bit. This will help out a lot!
That sounds fun! I am glad this article is helpful. Enjoy!