How to Host Overnight Guests in a Small Space

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Has your extended family just let you know they’ll be “dropping by” this holiday? Are you worried about the amount of space you have available to make everyone comfortable? No need to worry when you have a minimalist mindset, creativity, and a welcoming heart this holiday! Check out these tips to successfully host overnight guests in a small space.

Minimalism Allows for more Hospitality

A few years ago I would catch myself saying to people “come visit us, but it will be tight since we only have a three bedroom townhouse….”  First of all, that gives a mixed message to anyone you are inviting. They would be left wondering if you really want to host, or you are just saying you do to be nice. The truth is, I really want people to visit and stay with us, but I always felt that my home wasn’t big enough, and that we didn’t have enough extra rooms to host people.

Now, we are a family of 4, living comfortably in a 3 bedroom townhouse, but I have a completely different perspective, after adopting a minimalist mindset. When you clear out the clutter in your home, you find you actually have plenty of space to host others comfortably.

This holiday we are hosting 4 extra adults in our home, and we’ve managed to give everyone their own space in a 3 bedroom home. Check out these tips for how to manage hosting, avoid stress, and make everyone feel comfortable!

1.Set an Intention

When you set an intention for hosting family or friends over the holidays, it helps you to focus on the experience. Use these two prompts to focus your intentions:

I want this holiday to feel:

I want my family to feel:

For example, I want this holiday to feel joyous, calm, and loving. I want my family to feel the same. Joyous, calm, and loving won’t result in being stressed out, and overwhelmed with a packed schedule and high expectations. It’s actually surprising how much we do the exact opposite of our intentions. Be clear on your intentions and then you won’t have to worry so much about frivolous obligations.

2. Think Creatively with the Kid Space

You can creatively make kid sleeping spaces smaller, to allow for your adult guests to take over their bedrooms.

Make a Closet Bedroom

We have a small walk-in closet within our master bedroom. This can easily be transformed into a small temporary bedroom for a child. It also helps to have a closet that has already been decluttered.

You can make it fun, by telling kids to make their own bedroom fort, bring their own favorite blankets, pillows and stuffed animals. Plus a closet has a door, which can be shut if the adults want to stay up late into the evening preparing for Santa’s arrival.

Infant Sleeps in Master Bedroom

Our infant will be sleeping in our bedroom to allow for a guest to have the nursery. It’s not ideal, but who were we kidding? We’re not getting enough sleep anyways. This way the whole house won’t wake up to the baby’s cries.

Batch Kids in One Bedroom or Shared Space

If the kids are old enough, and you’re hosting families with children, put all the kids in a shared living space. If they’re older the boys in one room, and the girls in another. This could be the basement, upstairs landing, or a living room.

Kids love the opportunity to have sleepovers, and of course you can always remind them that Santa is watching. The best recommendation would be a space away from the kitchen, which is where most hosting activities occur. This allows for other adult guests to talk, without waking the kids.

3. Ask for Help

Especially if you have adopted a minimalism mindset, you will often be asking to borrow things rather than purchase and own things. You can also ask for help with hosting people.

We live in a close neighborhood of townhouses, and we could easily ask a neighbor to allow our guests to sleep in one of their open bedrooms. Remember that some neighbors are hosting extended family, and some are visiting extended family. A neighbor might have an entire empty home to allow for a guest. This is just another reason why it’s important to get out, meet, and cultivate a friendship with your neighbors.

You could also ask for help in providing a camper or R.V. We happen to own a small camper that fits on the back of our truck, so we’ll just park this in our driveway, allowing for every adult or couple to have a private sleeping space to retreat to.

You can also ask neighbors for extra chairs, tables, or plates if any of these items are needed. Our neighbors would be happy to provide these items. I’d just have to knock on their door and ask.

The truth about asking for help is that people love to give even more than they love to receive. It is a gift to ask for help, because the giver gets a huge boost in happiness.

4. Declutter Before Guests Arrive

A minimalist blog post wouldn’t be complete without suggesting going through your living spaces and decluttering. Getting things out before hosting family will allow for more space, and less tidying during the holidays. Everyone is going to be bringing their electronics, gadgets, toiletries etc. You’ll need the clear counter spaces in bathrooms and living areas to host the items people bring with them.

A decluttering session will also allow you to let go of expectations. I find that when I let go of physical objects, it’s much easier for me to let go of expectations as well.

5. Let Go of High Expectations

 It’s okay to let go of the high expectations we give ourselves. Here are a few expectations I welcome you to let go of:

• Provide 3 full course meals every day – Instead invite guests to help themselves from the fridge when they are hungry, and make dinner the shared meal of the day.
• Schedule activities nonstop – Instead provide some ideas and see where the day takes you. People don’t want to be constantly rushed from one activity to the next anyways. Most of the time you want to just be together in one space.
• Constantly check in on everyone’s emotions – Instead, let go of the expectation that you have to make every person happy. You’ll be a much more easy going host.
• Constantly tidy or clean – Instead let it be. Allow guests to pitch in when they can, and allow the clutter to be. You are hosting your max capacity in your home. There is bound to be more messes, clutter, and items around the house. Sip your cup of coffee or wine and enjoy the chaos that is your home for the next couple days.

6. Invest in a Trundle Bed

A trundle bed offers the convenience of a single bed, with the option of another single bed when company arrives. The extra single bed slides under the top bed when not needed to allow for more space.

Honorable Mention: Keep it Simple – Literally Simple

If any questions come up on hosting, try to choose the solution that is the simplest and easiest to accomplish. Hosting takes unexpected energy and you don’t want to be running to the store for an obscure ingredient when your guests really would have been fine with chili from the crockpot, and a  cold beer. Start with your intention, and make the simplest choice.

Final Thoughts

When my parents asked if they could come to visit and bring along their Norwegian foreign exchange student I was overjoyed! Then my older brother also asked to stay with us! They started to ask if it would be too much for our home, and suggested getting a hotel or renting another home. I balked of course.

Hosting family and friends is one of life’s true joys. You’re literally giving of your home to the people you love. Plus, you get to experience local events and sights with your guests. Don’t pass up the opportunity to host family and friends, even if you feel you live in a small space. It is possible to make everyone comfortable, with a little ingenuity.

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Join the Discussion

What stresses you out the most when hosting family and friends in your home?

Author

Maria Halcumb is a teacher, reading specialist, and mother. You can find her reading books, being in nature, minimizing her life, and spending time with family and friends in the great PNW. If you want to learn more about Maria, check out our about page.