Remember, Remember we all hate November
November light crashes through leafless limbs unfiltered, bashing through windows heading directly for every dusty surface, every spattered backsplash like an unwelcome and judgey relative strongly suggesting with an unflinching gaze that you thought you were ready for the guesting season— and you were very, very wrong.
Lordy, some morning are just ITCHY, right? That fabric you were working with last night felt smooth and luscious and this morning it is not only fighting against straight seams but it is straight scratchy besides. Sunshine streaming in is welcome for the light, but unflinching in outlining every overdue cleaning project in sharp detail. While Spring light is life-reviving and perfumed with blossoms, Summer light diffused and evening lingering, Fall light is…. tricksy. In October, the finding light is warm, casting a fuzzy glow over the home scene, scented with cider and cinnamon.
On the other hand, November light crashes through leafless limbs unfiltered, bashing through windows heading directly for every dusty surface, every spattered backsplash like an unwelcome and judgey relative strongly suggesting with an unflinching gaze that you thought you were ready for the guesting season— and you were very, very wrong.
Last year, innovation was the way to go for celebrating the Allidays. Halloween was semi distant, folks came up with myriad ways to stay apart but celebrate together. This year it seems with vaccinations on the rise (Hallelujah!), Turkey Day is back and looking to be an in-home event.
There is that light… just look at it laughing at our paltry wipe down efforts…
Et Ouija! Changed the perspective...Just look at our shiny knobs!
What! Don’t REALLY look at them! What, are you a monster?
Just admire from afar that we have all made it through some serious, serious stuff and are together to really count the ways we are blessed, to value those we love and let go what we cannot control.
Oh Yes. Have another cup or two. Play with the doggos, hang out with the kids. Pause. Enjoy. Our kitchens are a bit fuzzy, but our hearts are full.
Notes for folks with incoming guests and no time to line up contractors and re-do whole house post-pandemic nesting... or to barely dust...
Clean the bathrooms super well, at a minimum.
Add distracting candles and guest towels.
Tell guests your house is booked for scenes on an upcoming movie shoot ... it is a horror film, n'atch... and everything thing, dust, webs etc MUST stay in place.
Tell guests your fuzzy cabinets are participating in NoShaveNovember.
Keep a line of cups by the entry and inform guests as they enter that like many cultures that request no street shoes in the house, your sanity requires that they leave their glasses by the door.
Start cleaning and organizing the room or part of the house LEAST likely for guests to visit, leaving yourself so pushed for time close to arrival that you barely have time to shower, change and put out cups by the entry for glasses.
Drive to home goods store and buy a written sign for each room. Add your own spicy sayings with sharpie:
Blessed — with 3 varieties of pet hair!
In this house we — don't mention that they are still looking for the last person who complained about the toilet handle jiggle, leak bucket under the sink, or flush instructions situation in the guest bath.
Grateful — if you leave after coffee and don't expect a cooked breakfast.
Tell your overnight guests you are participating in NaNoWriMo and juuuust need to document chewing habits for a scene in your novel so will be observing them closely in the morning if they want to stay for breakfast, perhaps documenting with a live feed.
Really do these things:
Keep light low — no matter how gleaming your abode. Nobody likes sparkle. It incites emotions of envy and jealousy. Hard No-no’s for a convivial gathering.
Candles are great but don't overperfume your rooms.
(Should never leave people wondering if all the candles are trying to cover up something.
Like a body.
In the basement.
Wut?!)
More:
Start stress eating chocolate a couple hours before projected guest arrival. Unlikely you will experience break outs in a just couple hours...
🍅 pin tomato tip 🍅
If you don't have time to dust out every bowl — fill them higher with seasonal materials!
Add seasonal pieces to top up bowls when you don’t have time to deep dust.
Party prep.
Kit in place for emergency cleaning ahead of guests.
Sorry, guests, we couldn’t clean because the cat was comfortable on our lap…
be our guest: essential scents for a welcoming atmosphere
Providing a peaceful atmosphere for visitors is a great goal to have. The sharp, aromatic scent of lavender is associated with cleanliness and relaxation. Add sachets of fresh lavender to your bed linens or spritz bottles of calming lavender water to help guests dispel the busyness of the day and promote a restful night’s sleep.
As some essential oil producers are problematic in their sourcing and supply chain, we look for and buy from local farm sources wherever possible.
Handmade sachets.
We keep a sealed bin under each guest bed with linens for that room packed with naturally derived refreshers like bay leaves or lavender. While initially expensive, bay garland can be dried and used for years as a softly scented reminder of gatherings that keeps the smell of stored linens fresh.
Full size, like our hearts when we welcome guests!
Bay leaves repurposed from last year’s bay garland at the holidays.
Allergy check with potential guests is always recommended. Here at Cordelia, our guest list is necessarily limited: like it or not, and though we SUPER clean, especially before our guests arrive, dog and cat hair are part of the “experience”!
be our guest!
What is it we are delighted by when having guests? Is it endemic in humanness to offer hospitality? We always feel like we have won top honors if our guests report a comfortable stay. The ideal, of course, is to maintain a dedicated room or suite set up in perfect welcoming stasis replete with all the accoutrements of a luxe hotel and/or spa. An "away" space offering privacy as well as a cozy retreat.
Having that much space for visitors only is super privileged. Most of us must quickly convert a regular room into guest quarters, tossing kids toys, craft supplies, Zoom room accessories will-ay nill-ay into blanket chests, closet floors, and any other available storage space so as to leave room for the thoughtful touches that make our special callers feel at home. Here are some suggestions to keep on hand as a considerate host.
Hot water, tea selection including decaf, Keurig with coffee pods, sugar, shelf-stable half & half, cups, spoons, magazines, puzzle books, current magazines.
Tissues, scented candle with matches, fruit bowl, snacks, soap, lotion, shampoo, spare toothbrush in package, HBO, Netflix, reading chair with multiple charging locations for both guests.
Plumpy covers and fluffy towels!
Things you don’t see but are good to have:
working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors - with extra batteries
step ladder in closet
band-aids in drawer
mini sewing kit, safety pins
working flashlight
emergency phone charger
extra USB cord
card with house WiFi password
working hair dryer
clear nail polish
nail polish remover
new emery boards
shoe polish cloth
Keep clean linens (sheets, blankets, hypoallergenic pillow covers, pillow cases, fluffy towels sets) in sealed bins for each bed to be converted to guest accommodations under that bed. Store linens etc with crisply scented lavender in sachets or soaps to keep stored items fresh.
For more ideas and advice, check out our Be Our Guest board on Pinterest.