Making Home Away From Home Homier (NAPSA)—If you're like most Americans, you want to be a good host—and almost all Americans get the chance, as they have overnight guests at least once a year. That’s a lot of houseguests. Most Americans say they prepare by putting out clean towels and linens and burning candles or incense. Hosts or hostesses can easily exceed expectations by making special preparations for guests. Here are some ways to look like the host with the most: * Put hangers and an iron and ironing board in the guest closets. These are handy items that many guests are embarrassed to request. If there are no closets, provide garment racks or create temporary closets with showerrods. * Anticipate the little extras your guests might need. For instance, if guests plan to swim or visit a water park, have beach towels, inflatables and other swimming toys available. Have extra house keys for guests. * If guests are bringing children, have toys for them to play with. The parents will probably bring their own, but new toys are always better to a child. Have extra diapers and other supplies for babies. Make sure to kidproof the house by putting plugs in outlets, checking windows and doors, and securing potentially dangerous items. * Make plans, but be prepared to break them. This will reduce stress for guests and hosts. * Pay attention to privacy. If there are no extra bedrooms, put Comfortable accommodations for overnight guests, even children, can be at your fingertips. guests in private rooms such as offices or dens wheneverpossible. * Provide air-filled mattresses for your guests. A quality air-filled mattress with adjustable firmness may makeall the difference. For example, the AeroBed Ultimate is designed to look andfeel like a traditional mattress, so it can be used on the floor, or on top of a box spring, sofa bed or futon. The next generation of air-filled mattresses from AeroBed feature the new One Touch Firmness Control Wand. It makes it easy to adjust the firmness of the mattress with the touch of a button, while the attached pump means you don’t have to lose sleep worrying about misplacing it or leaving it behind. There’s even an air-filled mattress developed specifically for children and onethat sits two feet off the floor, which is especially great for individuals who may have difficulty getting up from a mattress that is positioned too close to thefloor. For additional information, visit www.ThinkAero.com.
