Get ready for guests

Our Homes Editor, Emma Morton-Turner shares her tips on making your home gorgeous for visitors

It's great to have a house full of guests at Christmas, but make sure your house is a home away from home by taking a few simple steps to ensure your guests enjoy their stay.

Scents
If you're mopping the floor, follow Jo Malone's lead and add a few drops of fragranced oil to the water. It gives off a gorgeous scent rather than a bleachy smell. Try her pomegranate noir oil for a lovely, fruity smell.
www.jomalone.co.uk

Pop a scented candle on the bedside table. True Grace candles have a great selection of aromas and are available from John Lewis
www.johnlewis.com

Give your linen an extra spritz when you are ironing it with a dual room/linen spray. Kenneth Turners' Noel is perfect for this time of year. Once the room is set up spray it around and close the door to give your guests a gorgeous aroma as soon as they walk in.
www.kennethturner.com

The bathroom
Place clean and fluffy towels on the bed so that guests don't have to ask and can make themselves at home. A bathrobe on the back of the door is an especially nice welcoming touch.

Pop new soaps in the bathroom.

You can make up a guest hamper with mini toiletries - bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, cream etc. Superdrug does mini versions of loads of the popular brands.
www.superdrug.com

The bedroom
Tidy and clean the room and remove any clutter if you use the room as anything other than a spare room. It can always go back in once your guests leave.

If you don't have a spare bedroom create one with an Aerobed. These great inflatable beds plug in to go from a small bed in a bag to a full size and height double in no time at all.
www.aerobed.co.uk

Finish off with a vase of fresh flowers and you're ready to host

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