Make your guests feel at home this Christmas

What you need to know:

As you organise your home for the festive season, include the guests in your plans.

Hosting gatherings of friends and family is what makes the Christmas season enjoyable. However, the never-ending catering and cleaning can make it a stressful period for the host family.
Here are some tips on how to make your home more inviting and easier to manage during this period.

Give your interior a festive touch
This does not have to include high spending. Keep it simple by rearranging the furniture to give your living room a new look.
If you decide to add something new, avoid the tacky holiday buys and instead opt for something unique and classy.
Scented candles, with recognisable fragrances, like pine, and a bowl of fresh fruits can make the difference in your living room.
You might want to take down a few photos from the mantel piece and the walls to reduce the clutter.
The key here is to ensure that there is enough space for your visitors.

Decorations
Add a few flowers and greenery to your living room and other spaces. You can create a large display of flowers in the living room and smaller display in the bathroom and corridors. Potted plants outside the front door can also add a welcoming touch to a dreary entrance.
According to Gloria Kavuma, an interior designer, wall decorations will also go a long way in enhancing the festive mood in your home. “Starting from the ceiling, work your way down to give the illusion of longer walls,” she says.
“The decorations should be dressed with the same lights that are on the Christmas tree to give a beautiful blend to your lightings.”

Paint your walls
If you decide to give your walls a splash of paint, silk vinyl is the way to go. Not only will it give your rooms a new look, it also can be washed off.
A tin of paint will cost you Shs50,000 while two paint brushes will cost you Shs6,000. Alternatively you can use glittery vanish to give your walls a shiny appearance.

Tidy the bathrooms
At some point, your guests are going to have to use the bathroom. This is the time to replace those frayed hand towels with a new set.
Since you have visitors around, you should splash on a luxurious hand soap and moisturiser.
Kavuma says, “Instead of relying on natural air, buy an air freshener. Since you will be cooking a lot of food, you wouldn’t want the whiff of toilet going through the corridor.”

Safety measures
Your guests cannot navigate your home from memory so make sure the lights, both outside and inside are working.
Floor rugs are a good idea but they should not be placed in the middle of the room, especially if children will be running around. When serving food, the dining table and other serving points should be moved to the side to create free space for playing children and dancing couples. Candles should be placed out of the reach of children.