In GOOD company
Simple ways to organize guest items when hosting
Children's chairs can accommodate purses and cellphones when entertaining.
Decorative hooks like these colorful oars can hold personal effects like umbrellas and purses for guests.
SMART SOLUTIONS
When guests are due to arrive, food and entertaining essentials become a natural focus, but there can be other considerations. For instance, you can keep all the personal effects that come with visitors in mind, such as purses and shoes. Some recent ideas I've seen made me realize I can offer better options whenever we host in our home.
One house featured in a national shelter publication that caught my eye had several hooks installed below the kitchen island counter where guests could sit on stools and have their purses within reach. That solution could also corral backpacks for kids.
My daughter and I got some additional inspiration when we had lunch at Three Cats in Clawson, Michigan. Once we were seated, the hostess placed a vintage children's chair beside our table as a perch for our purses. Another local restaurant had small portable coat racks for personal items, which could come in handy at home.
At our house, I never expect people to remove their shoes, but when they do, we do not have a great place to put them. When it comes to coats, over-the-door hooks on several doors work wonders. Additional hooks in the laundry room can also be utilized when needed. A curved ledge with a flat surface that surrounds our circular staircase can also accommodate outerwear.
Decorative hooks can add a fun touch to the standard varieties that are readily available. Some can even conceal their main purpose with unique details like colorful oars for a nautical touch that complements your décor.
Kids' tables and chairs can keep personal effects in check when guests want to keep them within reach. Natural materials like wicker can provide a pretty visual for these sweet pieces that can hold books and other keepsakes until the next time you entertain. Then, they can hold all those purses and phones that may take up too much space at the table.
Even when heavier gear hits the road as the warmer weather arrives, there can still be raincoats, umbrellas and muddy shoes. Waterproof mats and umbrella stands can make rainy days more manageable. In addition, hooks can be installed on a covered porch to hold umbrellas, like the one we kept there when we had a dog to walk daily, rain or shine.
Colorful garden stools can be placed beside or below a dining table in an indoor or outdoor space to hold personal belongings for your guests. On a similar note, lightweight plant stands that provide the perfect surface space for smaller pieces can be easier to carry from one room to another when company comes.
A designated drop zone also can be beneficial when you entertain, like a bench or a console in an entry hall. Still, it helps to have other options for those who want to keep their phones and other items beside them.
Whether you grab what you have or discover some new finds that can serve more than one purpose, when you provide guests with these little extras, you can make them more comfortable and spark conversations as well.
