Fall Hosting Made Easy: How to Prepare Your Home for Guests

Hey friends! Today I’m sharing how to prepare your home for guests! Mike and I are preparing for a fall gathering that we’re hosting in our home, and I’m taking you along as I deep clean, organize, and get ready to entertain. I’ll also share a few things that have made preparation so much easier when hosting guests, even with kids running around!

This post may contain affiliate links. For my full disclosure, click here.

How to Prepare Your Home for Guests: Getting Things Done (Thanks to Company!)

My husband and I often joke that the best way to get house projects done is to invite house guests over. Can you relate? It’s like having company coming gives us that final push to finish all the little things we’ve been putting off. From organizing clutter to checking off our cleaning checklist, suddenly everything gets done!

If you’re planning on having friends or family over, now is the perfect time to take a look around your home or common areas and fix up anything that’s maybe been put on the back burner. Are there shelves you’ve been meaning to hang? Light bulbs that need to be switched out in lamps or the overhead light? Pillows that could use a hem? I always want my home to feel like a welcoming environment, and as hosts now is the time to schedule these fixes!

For example, a few years back our couch needed a facelift. As some of you know, we’ve had it for a while and it’s great, but the cushions started to rip off the back, thanks to our boys climbing on it (even though they’re not supposed to!).

I borrowed an upholstery needle from my mom and stitched the cushions back in place. It’s not perfect, but it definitely looks better and got us through the gathering. We added a few extra blankets to make the space feel cozy and welcome, and then our living room was ready!

How to Prepare Your Home for Guests: Cleaning with Kids Around

Now, yes, the kids were still all around me while I was working. I often get asked how I get things done with little ones at home. My biggest tip? Occupy them with something fun. I’ll usually make them some snacks and then send them out to the backyard for some fresh air.

However, if you’re working on something you can involve them in, all the better! For example, I knew I needed to vacuum out the couch and remove all the cushions. From past experience, I know my boys love playing with couch cushions. So while they were having fun with that, I was able to focus on cleaning.

If you have older children, involve them in the actual cleaning. My oldest boys often help me with laundry, vacuuming, and dusting. They can do dishes and take out trash as well. It’s great to start them young with chores to teach them the value of taking care of their home and personal items. Plus, I’m sure their future spouses will greatly appreciate it haha

How to Prepare Your Home for Guests: Pre-Cleaning Ahead of Time

Since we had some time before our gathering, I really wanted to tackle the big cleaning tasks now. That way, on the actual day of the event, I can focus on last-minute touches, food prep, and setting up and not deep cleaning.

If you’re hosting, try not to leave all the cleaning until the day of. It’s stressful and overwhelming. Even with four little boys making messes, getting the major stuff done ahead of time makes everything more manageable.

Now is the time to vacuum your entire home, dust all the nooks and crannies, deep clean the guest bathroom (and guest bedroom if you plan to have overnight guests.) Organize your entryway closet and sweep off your front porch. Cut the grass and water your flower beds. Anything major try to accomplish a day or two before your guests actually arrive.

My Go-To Stain Remover (Natural & Easy!)

Before I host, I always like to spot-clean the furniture. I like to keep things simple and avoid too many chemicals. My favorite DIY stain remover is a mix of:

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda
• A few pumps of dish soap

It works great! I just cleaned my slipcovers recently, but of course, with kids, they were already stained again. Instead of washing everything again, I just spot-cleaned the stained areas on my chairs and couch.

More Deep Cleaning: Dusting, Walls & Windows

After the furniture, I vacuumed and then moved on to dusting. I always use my favorite Norwex microfiber EnviroCloth. It’s tightly woven, chemical-free, and removes 99.9% of germs using just water.

For high places like light fixtures and ceiling fans, I used a bendable duster with a long handle. I’ll link it here; it’s so handy for gathering cobwebs and cleaning up high without a ladder.

I also took time to clean the walls, especially the corners where my boys tend to grab as they run around. If I find tough marks, I’ll use a magic eraser, but most of the time, the microfiber cloth does the trick.

Next up: windows. I like to clean my windows inside and out, so I will wait for a nice day. I love how satisfying it is to see them sparkle, especially when the evening sun hits as guests arrive.

Don’t Forget the Laundry

One of my last chores was laundry. Both of our boys’ laundry baskets were overflowing, so I took the time to wash, fold, and put everything away. It makes their rooms feel calmer and more welcoming; even if guests never go in there, I know it’s done.

It’s also a good time to wash your hand towels for the powder room. Fresh towels are a thoughtful touch that your guests will appreciate! Again, if you are planning on having overnight visitors, make sure the guest room bedding has been washed as well.

A Note on Hospitality (It’s Not About Perfection)

Before I wrap up, I just want to share a quick encouragement: Hospitality is not about perfection.

You don’t have to do all these things to show love to people. Yes, I had time to prepare for this planned event, but some of the most special memories come from unplanned moments. Like when someone says, “Why don’t you stay for dinner?” even if the house is messy and there’s nothing fancy to serve.

That kind of real, imperfect hospitality is what truly touches hearts. So don’t stress. Your love and presence are what matter most. Cleaning is great but the necessities of hosting are your love and presence.

Exciting News: My Free Mini Homemaking Course!

I’ve been sharing about my Heart of Homemaking Course for a while, but I wanted to make sure I let you know about my free mini homemaking course as well!

This free mini course will be available in video and audio form, so you can listen while walking, cleaning, or driving. I’m still planning the content, but here are a few topics I’m including:

• Organization & decluttering
• Cleaning routines
• Meal planning
• Decorating on a budget
• Hospitality

How to Prepare Your Home for Guests: Final Thoughts

Thanks so much for coming along with me today as I prepped for our fall gathering. Whether you’re deep cleaning, casually tidying, or just lighting a candle and calling it good, I promise you’re doing great. Your home doesn’t need to be perfect to be filled with love.

Thanks for being here. See you in the next post!

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