Hosting Tips From a Designer: How to Make Guests Feel Welcom

Years ago when my husband and I were newly married, we were invited to a couple's home after church. It ended up being one of the most memorable evenings we have ever had. They had not planned an elaborate meal or spent the day cleaning. We sat around the table and shared chicken noodle soup and peanut butter sandwiches. Simple as it gets.

And yet I still think about that evening. Not because of anything they served or how their house looked, but because of how they made us feel. Welcomed. Known. Like we mattered.

That is the whole secret to hospitality. It has almost nothing to do with your house, your budget, or how good of a cook you are. It has everything to do with your heart and your willingness to open your door and make room for people.

If you have been putting off having people over because things are not quite perfect, I want to encourage you today. Your people do not need perfect. They need you. Here are six practical tips to make it easier.

1. Be Real

Social media has done a number on all of us when it comes to hospitality. We see perfectly styled tables and spotless homes and we convince ourselves that is what having people over is supposed to look like. It is not. That is not real life for anyone.

Real hospitality is inviting people in even when the laundry is not folded and dinner came from a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. When you are willing to share what you have without waiting until everything is perfect, something beautiful happens. People relax. They feel like they can be real too. And that is when the best conversations happen.

2. Keep It Simple

Hospitality does not have to mean a three course dinner. Some of the warmest gatherings I have ever been a part of were the simplest ones. A cup of coffee and a slice of cake. Lemonade on the back porch. Pizza ordered in and eaten on paper plates around the coffee table.

Give yourself permission to lower the bar on the food and raise the bar on the connection. Nobody goes home remembering exactly what they ate. They go home remembering how the evening felt.

3. Focus on the People, Not the Party

The goal of having people over is not to impress them. The goal is to know them better and to make them feel like being in your home was worth their time.

If you are an introvert like me, a little preparation goes a long way. Think of a few questions ahead of time that will help you get to know your guests and keep the conversation going. Ask about their family, their work, what they have been enjoying lately. People love to talk about themselves and they love even more feeling like someone genuinely wanted to listen.

4. Work With Your Budget, Whatever It Is

Budget should never be the reason you stop yourself from having people over. Some of the most generous hosts I know are also the most budget conscious.

Stock up on simple pantry staples when they are on sale so you always have something on hand. Keep a few easy crowd pleasers in your freezer. Watch for sales on things like pasta, sauces, soups, and baking supplies during the holidays when deals are everywhere. A simple homemade soup and a loaf of bread costs very little and feels incredibly warm and welcoming.

The chicken noodle soup and peanut butter sandwiches I mentioned at the beginning of this post? I promise you that meal cost almost nothing. And it is the one I still remember thirty-plus years later.

5. Stay Ahead of the Cleaning

One of the biggest reasons people put off having guests is the panic of trying to clean the whole house the day before. If that sounds familiar, try spreading the cleaning across the week instead. A little bit each day keeps things manageable and means you are never more than a day or two away from being ready for company.

And do not do it all yourself. If you have kids at home, they can and should help. Give everyone a job and make it part of the routine. A house that is kept up together is so much easier to maintain than one person trying to do everything at once.

6. Use Your Freezer

This is one of my favorite practical tips for anyone who wants to be more hospitable but struggles with the time and energy it takes to pull a meal together. Make meals ahead of time and freeze them. Soups, casseroles, lasagna, and baked goods all freeze beautifully.

When you have a freezer stocked with ready to go meals, saying yes to having people over becomes so much easier. The hard work is already done. All you have to do is open your door.

Your Home Does Not Have to Be Perfect to Be Welcoming

I have been in beautifully decorated homes that felt cold and unwelcoming, and I have been in simple, imperfect homes that felt like the warmest place in the world. The difference was never the decor. It was always the people inside it and the spirit they opened their door with.

Whether you are a college student, a young couple just starting out, a busy mom, or an empty nester with a quiet house, you have something to offer the people around you. You have your home, your table, and yourself. That is enough. It has always been enough.

Pick one person or one family you have been meaning to have over and send that text today. Keep it simple, keep it warm, and just open the door.

And if you found this helpful, save it for later and share it with a friend who loves the idea of hospitality but keeps waiting until everything is just right.

With love,

Holly
Simple Things Made Beautiful

Hosting Tips From a Designer: How to Make Guests Feel Welcome