Overcoming Your Fear of Houseguests: A Beginner's Guide to Stress-free Hosting

Millions of people suffer from a debilitating fear of houseguests. How do you know if you are suffering? Does the sound of the doorbell sends chills down your spine? The minute a friend or family member suggests getting together to catch up, do you immediately chime in to suggest a public place? Some cases are less severe than this. Perhaps hosting occurs regularly in your home, but you begin preparing for your guests about two months in advance and clean every nook and cranny "just in case" they see it.

Or, do you disengage from conversation and fun during their stay because you want to make sure they have their food on time and ensure that every little detail is perfect? Maybe it stems from the fear of being discovered as having house keeping skills slightly less than the Martha Stewert standard, or maybe it is because your feel like your house is adequate for entertaining.

Whatever the reason and however severe your case is, I am writing this article to help you overcome your fears because hosting friends and family should be an enjoyable pleasure instead of a torturous commitment.

So, how can you overcome this fear of houseguests? You might not be able to imagine a life where you enjoy entertaining unannounced houseguests or even expected ones on a regular basis. But I believe that by taking the time to re-evaluate the traits make a great host or hostess, and with a little practice, you can make your house a welcoming mat for your friends and family.

Take a Different Approach
Instead of thinking about all the cleaning, planning, and general preparation required for houseguests, take a moment and remember being a houseguest yourself. How would you react if your host or hostess was always about you making a fuss? Or what if there was a small stain on the carpet or a layer of dust on top of the television? Or what if your hostess seemed compelled to clean up the mess you helped to make alone? Most people would feel guilty and generally unwelcome.