133. How To Make Hosting Family FUN

I got another question that came in about tips for hosting family.  I love these kinds of personal questions mixed in with the mindset and business ones, because they’re all a part of life! With summer coming up, I’m sure you’re going to have lots of family in town, so I thought this would be fun to talk about! 

1 – MAKE IT FUN! 

Make it fun, not stressful! It’s not stressful to change sheets and to make the bedding all nice. It’s FUN! I love to host, and it’s because I take the stress completely out of it.  I love making their bed all nice, making sure it’s clean, it smells nice, I love getting them new pillows that are fluffy, I love buying fresh big towels, etc.  Sometimes, I put a family picture of them up (I learned this from a comedian!) I love leaving a basket of snacks, magazines, or little things on their beds that are personal to them.  Every single person who comes, it’s different! These little things make the experience of staying at your home more welcoming.  It’s like a game to me – I like my guests to feel super welcomed and super loved.  It’s easy to host when you change your mindset!

2 – STAY IN YOUR ROOM UNTIL YOU’RE READY TO COME OUT

It can be really overwhelming to have family over when you have stuff to do! I always feel very spread thin when I’m answering an email, but also trying to talk to my friends and family that are staying at my house.  I don’t want to feel like I’m neglecting one thing or the other.  Here’s what I’ve tried to do: in the morning, before I go downstairs, I get done what I need to get done before I start the day.  I get ready, answer any emails, etc.  

3 – HAVE YOUR FAMILY COME WITH YOU ON YOUR DAILY TASKS

If I have to do dishes, I say, “Come in the kitchen with me while I do my dishes!”  If I have to do laundry? “Come upstairs and chat with me on the couch while I fold my laundry.”  I’m not expecting my guests to help with the dishes or the laundry! These are things that I still need to do, so I try to get them done and spend time with my guests too! When Shelby comes to town, I have her bring her laptop around the house with me as I do all my life things.  

4 – PLAN THINGS THAT ARE SPECIAL TO YOUR FAMILY

I like to plan fun things with my guests that are special to us and to them! In our family, we are big skiers! So, we plan ski weekends where guests can come with us! We have the house at Bear Lake, and it’s been so fun to spend special time with our family and friends at one of our favorite places! We’ve created some special memories there! We also like to take our guests to our kids’ events (piano recitals, school activities, sports games, etc.)  

These are my tips for hosting family when they’re in town!  I hope you can find some joy in it this summer and take the stress out of it.  It’s really awesome to be able to spend that much quality time with people that you love!

133. How To Make Hosting Family FUN