You might have read the title of this blog and asked yourself; why would I want my home to be the one your friends gather at? Well, because there are loads of benefits, is the answer! First of all, you don’t have to go out anywhere. That means no need to drive and need to find somewhere to park, or take a bus or taxi. Because you’re in your space, you get to wear whatever you want, whether that be a ballgown or a onesie! You’re also in charge of the music, and the lighting, and the snacks. It’s basically like having your own low-key party with most of the benefits. You might even get gifts; some guests love to bring a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers! And as for the need to tidy up afterward? If they’re good friends they’ll give you a hand before they leave anyway!
So, now we’ve covered why you should want to be the one to entertain friends, let’s look at the how! These methods of making your home idyllic for your friends also double up as full-time benefits for you. Snack drawers and cozy seats are great for guests, but once they’ve left, they’re all yours to enjoy.
Read on for some ideas for making your home awesome for everyone!
An amazing snack cupboards
Dinner was a few hours ago, and a little voice from within your friendship group asks; “Do you have any snacks?” This questions always pops up, more so if your friends are comfortable enough to ask. But are you ready to provide? Keeping an amazing snack cupboard or drawer will draw oohs and ahhs from all around the room. Go for stuff that lasts for a while, even if opened. Singular packets of potato chips are a good bet for this, and nuts and seeds are always a good option. Try and keep a box of chocolates in a cool cupboard too. These will always be appreciated. The only challenge here will be whether or not you hoover them all up yourself as soon as you buy them. Resist temptation if you can!
An emergency drinks stash
Even if everyone has agreed to bring a bottle of wine or liquor to the get-together, there are some nights where this will run dry. When these occasions occur, you will suddenly realize that no one is in a fit state to drive, and even if they were, everywhere is shut anyway! Just like with the snacks mention above, when this happens, you’ll want to have an emergency drinks stash. Just a spare bottle of wine and some form of liquor will do too. You might also want to keep a mixer in the cupboard, and combine it with some ice cube to chill it quickly. That being said, be sure you go steady and don’t exceed your own personal limit. That hangout with friends will quickly turn into a nasty hangover with friends if you’re not careful!
Enough comfortable seating to go around
Friends will visit once and then make their excuses next time if your seating options are uncomfortable. The basis of a great living space is a good sofa. If yours is lumpy and bumpy, replace it. It is also time to replace it if it is smelly! Some get scared off from buying new sofas because of how expensive they can be. Instead, find an outlet. There is nothing wrong with the sofas here physically; they are just ‘last seasons’ designs. But can you really tell the difference from a plain gray 3-seater 2014 sofa and a plain gray 3-seater 2016 sofa? No, us neither! If you have no luck there, consider charity shops. You might find some in there that have barely been used and are as good as new, but heavily reduced in price. You’ll probably also find that if it’s been taking up space in the store for a while, they’ll give you a discount just to get rid of it. Just make sure it still has the fire safety label attached. If you try and pass it onto another charity shop in the future, the chances are they will only take it off your hands if it still has this label or sticker. Once you’ve checked on that, you’re good to go!
Once you’ve got a good sofa sorted, get a bit crafty. If you’re going to have an armchair, upholster it yourself with a funky print. It could be a map print, for example, or if you use it for reading, a book print fabric. Or get a little more creative with what you use for seating. Deckchairs shouldn’t just be used on the beach! And how about a giant bean bag chair, like the Fombag? These are great for making sitting on the floor not just comfy, but the most desirable seat in the room! Finally, if you have the room, how about a hammock? This will double up a place for a friend to sleep over if they have one too many glasses of vino! Whatever you choose, furnish it with some attractive throw cushions. Drape some blankets over them too, so you friends can snuggle up in comfort.
A place to crash
There can be a number of reasons why an evening get-together can suddenly turn into an impromptu sleepover! Maybe your friend has had too much to drink, or you’re just having such a good chat they want to miss the last train and stay. Whatever the reason, make it so your friend can stay if they need too. If you have a guest room, fantastic. This is exactly what it is for! Don’t allow it to become a storage/clutter room, and change the bedding as soon as one guest leaves so it will already be ready for the next. Alternatively, if you don’t have a guestroom, make that new sofa mentioned above a sofa bed. This way you’re killing two birds with one stone! Also, to make your friend feel really at home, keep a little stash of new necessities to hand. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, a clean towel and a spare phone charger will likely all be very much appreciated.