10 Things You’ll Forget to Prep for Christmas Guests (Until It’s Too Late)

You can have the menu planned, the tree lit, and the house decorated…and still end up rushing around ten minutes before people pull in the driveway. It’s usually not the big things that trip you up. It’s the tiny details you didn’t think about until someone is standing there asking for them.

If you want the day to feel smoother, these are the things worth handling before the doorbell rings.

Extra toilet paper where people can actually see it

Everyone remembers to clean the bathroom. Fewer people remember the moment when the last roll runs out. Instead of stacking extra toilet paper under the sink behind cleaning products, put a few rolls where guests don’t have to dig—on the back of the toilet, in a basket, or on a stand.

It saves you from that awkward knock and, honestly, helps people relax. Nobody wants to quietly dig through someone else’s cabinets. A small, obvious stash of toilet paper is one of those unglamorous things people appreciate more than your hand soap label.

A clean hand towel and backup ready to swap

That one decorative towel you never use looks cute…but it’s not going to cut it with a house full of people. Put out a real, absorbent hand towel in the bathroom and hang a backup on a hook inside the door or in the linen closet so you can switch it quickly if it gets soaked.

Same goes for the kitchen. Have an extra folded near the sink so you’re not drying hands and dishes with the same sad, damp towel all day. Fresh towels make everything feel cleaner with almost no effort.

A place for coats and bags that isn’t the floor

If you don’t plan this ahead, everything ends up on the back of chairs or in a giant pile on your bed. Clear one spot before guests arrive: a hall tree, a section of the couch, or even your bedroom floor with a clean blanket spread out as a landing zone.

Tell people as they walk in, “Coats and bags go right here.” It makes the house feel calmer and keeps chairs open so guests actually have somewhere to sit instead of shuffling stuff around every time someone moves.

Trash cans where people are actually eating

If you’re spreading food throughout the house, you need trash cans to match. A tiny can in the kitchen isn’t enough when there are paper plates, napkins, and cups floating all over. Set out an extra bin lined with a fresh bag near the drink station and in the main eating area.

You’ll notice guests quietly using them instead of setting things wherever they can. Cleanup at the end of the night is much easier when most of the trash is already contained.

Clear space in the fridge for leftovers

Everyone thinks about what they’re serving. Fewer people think about where it’s going after. Before the big meal, do a quick sweep of your fridge: toss old leftovers, group condiments on one shelf, and clear a section for dishes and containers that need to go back in.

When someone hands you a pan to chill or you’re scraping food into containers, you’ll have an obvious spot to slide it instead of playing refrigerator Tetris with a room full of people watching.

Enough ice and drinks that don’t require your attention

The main dish gets all the attention, but drinks are what people reach for all day. Fill a small cooler or tub with ice and drinks—water, tea, sodas—so people can serve themselves. Keep extra ice in bags in the freezer if your maker is slow.

This keeps everyone out of your fridge and away from the kitchen traffic jam. You’re not stopping mid-gravy to pour a drink every time someone wanders in looking for something.

A simple spot for dirty dishes and serving pieces

At some point, the sink will fill up. Decide ahead of time what you want people to do with their plates and forks. You can set a bus tub, empty dishpan, or one side of the sink aside for dirty dishes and ask everyone to put theirs there.

Do the same with serving pieces—pick a section of counter where empty platters and bowls can land. It looks more organized and keeps people from stacking dirty dishes on top of clean food.

Kid-friendly snacks and activities

Even if you’re not cooking for kids, they usually end up in the mix. Having a small tray of easy snacks—cheese sticks, crackers, fruit, pretzels— and a couple of simple activities (coloring pages, a puzzle, blocks) can save everyone’s sanity.

Set them up in a corner or at a small table so kids have a “home base” that’s not right under your feet in the kitchen. Parents notice this kind of planning and breathe a little easier.

A place for guests to plug in phones

Phones and chargers will end up everywhere if you don’t give them a spot. Clear a small section of a console or side table and plug in a power strip or extra charger. Tell people, “If you need to charge your phone, this is the spot.”

It keeps cords off your kitchen counters and out of the way. Plus, nobody is stealthily unplugging your lamp to juice up their battery.

One candle or diffuser that sets the tone

You don’t need strong scent in every room. Choose one candle, wax warmer, or diffuser in a central spot—a hallway table or living room shelf. Light it before people arrive so the house smells good when they walk in.

Keep it simple, not overpowering. The house should smell like you’ve been cooking and cleaning, not like a fragrance store. One steady, light scent ties everything together and makes the whole space feel more pulled together than it might actually be.