Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • December 11, 2013 How to get a home ready for holiday guests Hosting family members for the holidays is a great way to spend quality time with loved ones during a special time of year. For many families, the holidays are the one time when everyone can get together regardless of where they live or how demanding their commitments to work and family can be. When families gather for the holidays, many people find themselves playing host to relatives. Accepting such host- ing duties is an act that comes with many responsibilities, including readying the home for overnight guests. The fol- lowing are a few ways hosts can prepare their homes for guests. Take inventory of linens. Overnight guests will need bed linens, blankets, and pillows. Take inventory of the linen closet now, and inspect each set of sheets to make sure they are still usable. If sheets are ragged or the blankets have thinned, purchase new linens so guests feel as if they are at home and don’t get cold overnight. If the linen closet is already fully stocked with quality linens, clean them in the days leading up to the guests’ arrival. Buy some night lights. Purchase a few night lights for the hallways and restrooms so guests can easily get around should they need to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Childproof the home if necessary. Kids can be curious, so holiday hosts without children of their own should child- proof their homes before any guests arrive with kids in tow. Move hazardous materials to high shelves that kids can’t reach, and make sure any prescription medications are out of reach of youngsters. If the home has any steep staircases, consider purchasing some child gates or asking the guests to bring their own gates to reduce the risk of young kids falling down the stairs. Stock up on toiletries and other essentials. Replenish the supply of toiletries before guests arrive. Stock up on toilet paper, tissues, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion in the days leading up to the holidays. In addition, consider buying kitchen items like paper towels, napkins, plastic cutlery, and paper plates. Paper plates may come in especially handy, saving the trouble of having to load up the dishwasher after meals in which paper plates and plastic cutlery would have sufficed. Give common areas a thorough cleaning. Any common areas of the home, including the foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, and restrooms, should be given a thorough cleaning prior to the guests’ arrival. Be sure to clean any bedrooms where guests will be staying. Less time will have to be devoted to cleaning the master bedroom or home office, but make sure these rooms are presentable. Clean the closets. If the hall closets are largely used for storing miscellaneous items, clean them out for the coming days to make room for guests’ coats, jackets, scarves, hats, and shoes. Moving these items, be it to the garage, a back- yard shed, or the basement, can be temporary, but those closets must serve a more traditional purpose while guests are in town for the holidays.