So here is take two for Freaky Friday.  This guest post comes from my friend Emily of Etiquette by Emily.

Likely in your lifetime you have either hosted someone or been hosted by someone. What you may or may not have known is that it’s the little details that make a difference to someone in their stay with you. A Southern Belle prides herself in making someone “feel at home.” What’s expected and what’s above and beyond? I’m here to share that bit of information with you today!

Now, to be perfectly frank, in our current home, we do not have a separate guest room – one of the only downfalls I find with our house. Therefore, if someone is staying the night with us, the kiddos bunk together, and we generally put them in our daughter’s room. Every bedroom in our house is en suite, so guests have plenty of bathroom privacy – something I love about our home.

Here are a few things I do to make sure someone has a comfortable stay.
• Provide plenty of towels and bath rags. I usually make sure they have two towels and two rags per person. Of course, I also have a cabinet of “extras” available in case.
• Toiletries – In the bathroom (out of ordinary reach of our kids), I have shampoo, conditioner, face wash, body wash and lotions that I set out if we have someone stay with us. I also have mini tubes of toothpaste and a couple of inexpensive toothbrushes readily available.
• I have a spare blow dryer that I usually keep in the master bath that I place in their bathroom.
• Medicine – I usually have a small bottle of Tylenol I put in the bathroom. Again, this is not something I keep in there all of the time, due to it being my daughter’s bathroom.
• It should go without saying, but just in case, I make sure everything is CLEAN. I wash the actual pillows. I make sure the bedspread is washed. Toilets are cleaned right before arrival, etc.
• I have a list of emergency numbers and the wifi password for their use. Now, most of the time my mother-in-law is our guest, so I want to make sure she has all numbers needed in case of emergency, but I think this is handy regardless.
• Provide bottles of water. I don’t go to the extent of placing these in the bedroom because I prefer chilled water, but I do make sure to have bottles on hand and in the fridge for guests to drink. Likewise, I also try to get an additional favorite drink, whether it’s a particular wine or, in the case of my MIL, diet coke.

Now, AS a guest in someone’s home, I have a few go-to rules that seem to apply, regardless of familiarity with your host(s).
• Pick up after yourself. Again, this should go without saying, but they are not your maids.
• Bring a hostess gift. This can be something simple like a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates. You can also bring something a bit more personal, such as a monogrammed kitchen towel or a bottle of their favorite wine.
• Pick up the tab once every three days. If you are staying with someone for the weekend, etiquette suggests you take them to dinner as a thanks for their generosity. They are purchasing extra food, drinks, taking time, etc., so this is a small way of showing how appreciative you are. If you cannot do this or if you’re at a place like a lake, offer to buy and cook dinner at the house. The point is to simply show that you are thankful.
• Make the bed until it’s time to change it. If you’re staying the weekend, it would be kind to offer to change the bedsheets on your last day. Until then, make the bed, even if you do not do so at your own home.
• Send a note. Following your visit, send a note letting them know you enjoyed your time with them and appreciate their hospitality.

Do you have ideas to add to the list? I’d love to hear them! As always, thank you for reading.

Emily’s blog can be found at www.etiquettebyemily.com and on Facebook.  Emily is a busy working mom of two who enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering, and making pies!