The Essential Item You Need To Make Every Guest Feel Welcome In Your Home

As the holidays approach each year, you probably begin planning out your autumn and winter calendar. That may include organizing your travels out of town, prepping your home to host the perfect Thanksgiving, or even preparing for when you'll host visiting friends and family at your home overnight. If you're working on the latter, you know that hosting can be stressful. You may even be worried about making your guests feel comfortable and at home in your space. If you're looking for a surefire way to level up your hospitality game this year, consider greeting them with a personalized welcome basket.

A welcome basket of any kind already demonstrates thoughtfulness that your guests are sure to appreciate, so don't feel pressure to break the bank while putting one together. For the basket itself, you can work with one that you already have around the home. Use it to gather and neatly present the bare essentials for an overnight stay. Think fresh bath towels, washcloths, and a note with the Wi-Fi details and any other helpful information about things around the house. If you don't already have a basket on hand, you can find one in a pinch and on a budget, like the Ciki Home Woven Cotton Rope Storage Basket that costs $13. This can be reused any time you have a guest. Not to mention, it can be repurposed in so many ways after the guests have left. Use it as an entryway catchall or employ it to declutter and organize your home using the four-basket method.

Event planner Kristine Cooke tells Martha Stewart Living, "A good host keeps supplies handy, but a great host has a few additional goodies in case your guest forgets something at home." So, if you have a small budget to allot and want to go beyond the essentials, you can make a great impression on your guests while staying cost-effective. A toothbrush, mini toothpaste, and travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are affordable inclusions that can go a long way in making guests feel like they're getting the hotel treatment. Providing these items is just one of many tips to make bathrooms guest-friendly for the holidays.

For an extra special touch, include goodies specific to your guests' tastes and preferences. If you know they are a light sleeper, you could include some ear plugs and an eye mask, like the Flents Foam Ear Plugs for $4 and the Mavogel Cotton Sleep Mask for $8, to make sure they sleep more comfortably. Other ways to impress your guests can include providing their favorite packaged snacks or candy to munch on. And take things the extra mile by including a small gift you know they will love. Whether it's a candle in their favorite scent, a bag of local beans for coffee lovers, or even a best friend's preferred tea variety — these details are sure to make your guest feel appreciated.