Last week I shared my two week countdown checklist. Now it is time to think about those guests that are coming to stay over Christmas. With just over a week to go now is the time to get another checklist ready to make sure you have everything covered.
Table of Contents
Plan Your Christmas Week Meals
This is so important. If you have guest staying you have to think of 3 meals a day. Plus snacks and of course drinks.
- Confirm Christmas Day menu – are there any allergies or diet requirements
- Plan Christmas Eve + Boxing Day meals
- Pick up non-perishable items early – adding to your normal shop will spread the cost
- Create a “simple dinners” plan so the week isn’t chaotic – batch cook and freeze down to make life that little bit easier
- Get the bulk of your food and drink this week or do an online shop to save you having to face the supermarket
Clean Smart So You Are Not Burnt Out
There is no denying cleaning is the hardest thing to keep on top of. Especially at this time of year where there are not enough hours in the day. Not only shopping, wrapping but also the Christmas parties and get together. Not to mention the school plays and activities.
- Tidy common spaces only – keep cleaning to the minimum and delegate if you need to
- Do a quick bathroom refresh – I do this morning and evening when my house is busy. Just a quick wipe makes keeping the bathroom cleaner easier
- Wash any guest bedding or towels – do this one week before and it will keep your washing basket down
- Don’t deep-clean — just surface-level calm
Decor Touch-Ups
No one would expect you to decorate your whole house. So take the stress away.
- Replace any burnt-out lights – do a quick walk around and check all lights work.
- Fluff throws/pillows for cosy ambiance – these are always a great way to add that fresh homely feel
- Add small festive touches where needed – scented candles or little decorations
Do you have guests coming to stay? What are your top tips?
always welcome guests ar Christmas and any other time – thanks for your tips
I always love to make guests feel like it is home and welcoming
We’ve always been a stay at a hotel kind of family when visiting other family members it really takes the stress out of whoever is hosting
That is what I would prefer as well, that way it takes a lot of the stress of everyone. However, I do love close friends and close family staying
Love the batch cooking and the meal plan for the days around too, super helpful
I do love batch cooking and having meals ready to go in the freezer
Some great tips, organisation is key (and a cheeky prosecco!)
With Christmas already being a big event, having guests stay over adds another level! Thank you for this fantastic advise.
It is all about being prepared so that when your guests arrive you are ready and can enjoy them rather than stress about all that needs to be done
AS someone who is hosting this year I need this i’m all over the place as i am super busy so thanks for the handy tips xx
Hopefully this will be a handy checklist for you
Valuable and practical tips on how to prepare for guests coming to stay over Christmas in my opinion. Thanks a lot for putting it together.
It is always a stressful time and having guests although is lovely can add to the pressure
I’m very much a checklist person. I use them for loads of different things. I am currently confirming the Christmas Day menu. So many peoples preferences to take into consideration that lists can really help. All non perishables are bought so it’s just one more shop that I need to do next week so I’m ready!
You sound very prepared, it is just us for Christmas and all I need to sort apart from getting the fresh stuff is what dessert C wants are we buying or making as neither of us like christmas pudding
My guests are immediate family and the all tend to help out so I don’t fret about them coming and they take me as they find me so a couple dusty surfaces won’t bother them
That is the best guests to have, we are keeping it small and just us this year
I am a big fan of having a list to be able to physically tick things off of. It certainly helps to motivate me and get me organised when it feels like there is so much to do.
I use alerts on my phone but do use physical lists for holidays and also christmas when there is so much to think about
I don’t have any guests staying over. I have been struggling with my health this year so I am quite relieved
It is just us this year as well, I could not cope with having guests either
These are such great ideas! We’ll have a HOUSEFULL this season. Making meals and freezing them is so smart!
Good luck if you are prepared it will make life a lot easier
We might have a friend staying over this Christmas and we can’t be more excited about it. We love hosting but as you said, we definitely need to be better prepared this time around.
I bet you will have a great time, being prepared will help make it a little less stressful
we don’t often have stay over guests so I do find it stressful ‘ thanks for the tips
I always worry when we have guest stay over