You don’t need a designer house to be hospitable. As you start to open your home this this season consider these simple ways to make you home warm and inviting!
Hospitality is not just for people with “houses.”
When I was living in apartments I was always waiting for a place to feel like a “home” because I was waiting for an apartment to feel like a “house.” As I talked about in my post “10 Simple Items to Have for Your Guests,” your home is still a home even if you are in an apartment, living with roommates, or in a college dorm room. Showing hospitality isn’t just for those people who have a mortgage and a fenced in yard. It’s a opportunity for us all.
Romans 12:13 says “Contribute to the needs of the saints, and seek to show hospitality.”
And 1 Peter 4:9 says “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
Nowhere in those verses does it say you can only show hospitality if you are married, own a home with a mortgage, and can afford the most expensive wine. No matter who you are or where you are, you can show hospitality!
The smallest things make the biggest impact!
Since we can show hospitality no matter who you are or where you live, it means that the least expensive and simplest things will show warm hospitality,.
Whenever someone would say something like “the smallest things make the biggest difference” I took that to mean the smallest crumb on a dark wood floor people would be noticed and throw off their comfort levels. But I think it means something more like this.
The smallest and simplest acts of thoughtfulness can make the biggest impact.
There are a few things most anyone can do to add a little warmth to a home and make a big impact.
A welcoming spirit.
All the special things you do for your guests may never be noticed or acknowledged, but they will know how they feel when they walk way from their visit with you. That starts with the way you welcome them.
Are you glad to see them? Are they greeted with joy and excitement? Do they feel like you are there for them and they can talk about whatever is going on in their life judgment free?
This is the first very simple way to make your home warm and welcoming!
Of course there are some other physical comforts we can offer our guests too.
Blankets
I love blankets! We have so many of the fuzzy ones in our house! Offering blankets to your guests (given appropriate weather) is one simple thing that comforts most people.
Even weather aside, when I am on a couch I want a blanket. When it’s 90 degrees outside and my husband and I are watching a movie at night I still want a blanket. A very lightweight one, have you, but a blanket nonetheless. It just brings so much comfort!
Also, another reason to have blankets at the ready, is you never know what your guests will prefer. Some people are always cold, no matter the weather or season. These people will undoubtedly be so grateful for a blanket!
Lamps
If it’s dark outside, nothing says “cozy” like a lamp on a end table turned on. The term “we will leave a light on for you” was coined for a reason. There is something very welcoming and warm about a softly lit living room or dinning room.
This is another simple thing to decorate your home with to make it warm and inviting. You don’t have to be a interior designer to decorate with lamps either. Most of us have lamps, so put them to good use!
If you want to get really specific, I recommend the soft white light bulbs. These days there are so many strong white/blue lights that almost feel fluorescent in some ways. They make me feel like I am in a science lab! They have become such a trend, it has driven me to cling to the original soft white lights. These are the lights that give a little incandescent glow to the room, like a candle.
Music playing in the background
This is one thing I really try to make an effort to have on when guests arrive! Every house party you may have attended in college or high school probably had the music blaring, and it just screamed “the party is over here.” While blaring music is not appropriate for most casual gatherings, the idea of music is great.
Music in the background fills in the cracks in the conversation. It saitates the air with desired melody, and brings life to a room. It is also a great conversation starters. “Who sings this song?” “I just love John Denver.” “What’s your favorite music?”
Smells of coffee or something tasty.
We all know by the Glade commercials unpleasant odors are an assault to the nose, and can be a turn off when a you walk into a home. A home that smells clean, fresh, or at least absent of unpleasant smells communicates to a guest “we are ready for you, you can be comfortable here.”
Now, don’t take this tip too seriously. As I said, we can all make hospitality simple because we are all commanded to do it. If you don’t have time to clean the house and light candles, something that smells good like coffee or even water and cinnamon sticks simmering on the stove can give off a comfy smell.
Instagram Poll
When I posted this picture (below) on Instagram many months back, I did a poll asking people what makes a home warm and inviting to them. Here are a few of the other things that people mentioned:
- Books
- Clean/organized
- Light and warm paint colors
These are more personal preference items, but I agree with them all. If you type “cozy” into Pinterest you will probably see all of these pop up in images!
As you can see making your home is warm and inviting can be simple!
I hope this post has empowered you to realize that you have simple items around your house that when put to intentional use can make a guest feel warm and welcome!
What are some of your favorite things people have done to welcome you into their home?
Leave a comment below!
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