December 28, 2011

Making Things Easier for Visitors

When people are coming to visit, hosts often worry about making a good impression on their visitors. The situation, though, is also an opportunity to save time for everyone involved by making things more convenient for the visitors.

The truth is, “a nice place to visit” has more to do with a place that is not a great challenge to figure out than with the finer details of decorations and entertainment. Paintings on the walls might be nice, but when visitors have to look for light switches, paintings don’t matter.

If the basic things aren’t taken care of, or if they require lengthy explanations, then obstacles and workarounds may become the focal point of a visit, occupying the time and attention of hosts and visitors alike. If you have time to prepare your place for visitors, start with the most basic things first. These are not the most glamorous things. Hospitality begins with toilet paper. If it is too late and guests have already arrived to a place that is not ready, take the time to let the guests help you identify and remedy the most pressing shortcomings.

If a visit goes more smoothly for the visitors, it will be easier on the hosts also. By taking care of your visitors, you are also taking care of yourself.

December is the busiest month for many people, and most of the time pressure that people face is unnecessary. During December I have been offering several ideas of simple ways to be less busy.

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