Four Tips for Hosting Overnight Guests

How do you prepare your home for overnight guests? My mom recently came to stay, and, since she’d been through some ups and downs (all good now!), we wanted to make her visit feel extra special. Of course, we made a comfy bed with Brooklinen (the bedding we’ve loved and used for almost a decade), and we did three other things…

1) First, we made the bed as inviting and luxurious as we could, like we do with all the beds in our home. We love Brooklinen’s cool, crisp cotton sheets and buttery cotton sateen sheets, but for my mom, we went with airy washed linen, which feels breathable and perfect on warm summer nights. People worry that some linen bedding can be scratchy, but every piece in Brooklinen’s linen collection feels like a beloved old sweatshirt. Also, how soothing are the stripes? And we make sure to have enough squishy pillows.

2) To make my mom smile, we set up a “happy-to-have-you” bedside table with flowers, magazines, a carafe of water, and a scented candle. (This one smells like a cabin in the woods.) We also put out her favorite snack, so she could have something to munch on while reading in bed or (more likely) playing Wordle on her phone.

3) For overnight guests, we also leave two essentials on the bed: a phone charger and fresh, plush towels. Brooklinen’s towels are fluffy but ultra absorbent, which is a wonderful (and hard-to-find) combination. I never had strong opinions about towels until I tried these, and now I’m a devotee.

4) Finally, for people we’re especially close to, the boys have a hosting trick up their sleeves: they hide a note under the pillow for the person to find when they’re going to sleep. My mom was so cute and teary when she discovered it. (It reminds me of my 25th birthday party, when a friend slipped a birthday card under my pillow — such a delight to find a note when you’re climbing into bed!)

Bonus for all readers: Brooklinen is kicking off their big summer sale on bedding, bath loungewear and decor. Get 15% off your order, site-wide, no code required. See everything here — including soft, smooth sheets in 15 colors and the comfiest pillow I’ve ever slept on (perfect for side sleepers!).

How do you create a comfy space for guests, or yourselves? Please share below!

(Photography by Christine Han and styling by Oliver Cano for Cup of Jo. This post is sponsored by Brooklinen, a brand who we have used and loved for years. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cup of Jo.)