How to Make Your Home Cozy for Hospitality

Creating a cozy and welcoming home is an important part of hospitality. Do you have a welcoming home? Learn how to make your home cozy for hospitality today.

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How to Make Your Home Cozy for Hospitality

When we think of the word cozy, we often think of things that are soft, comfortable, and warm. That is part of being cozy, and I will talk about that more later. However, it's important to note that coziness -- at least in this context -- is also a feeling of peace and contentment that we can help people feel when we welcome them in hospitality.

Today I will be sharing 6 tips for making your home cozy for hospitality. This is a mix of items that help create a cozy environment and actions that you can take to help others feel welcomed.

6 Tips for Making Your Home Cozy for Hospitality 

Light a Candle

A good smelling candle can make your entire home smell amazing. When I was a teenager, I remember all of our house-guests commenting on how good our house smelled, and that was because my mom always had a candle lit.

I have really come to appreciate the difference a good-smelling home can make when welcoming others in. A candle makes things feel more cozy, and a good scent makes everyone happy!

Bake Something

Another way to make a guest feel welcomed and cozy is to bake them something delicious. It doesn't need to be fancy; just make them something simple and yummy. Plus, there's nothing quite like the smell of something baking in the oven -- talk about a good smelling home!

Need some inspiration? Try my homemade Cinnamon Apple Biscuits!

Bonus tip: Pay attention to the dietary needs of your guests. If a friend tells you that they try not to eat too much dairy, be intentional about making a dairy-free recipe. People tend to feel loved when we pay attention to those sorts of things.

Serve a Comforting Beverage

A good cup of coffee or a sweet and creamy hot chocolate is a great way to make someone feel welcomed into your home. A hot beverage instantaneously creates a more cozy atmosphere and makes your guests feel like you want them to stay a while. How could someone feel rushed when you have served them a beverage that is made for slow sipping, right?

Keep Soft Blankets Handy

One of my favorite things in the world is a soft, cozy blanket. I love cuddling up under it while I visit with guests, and I want my guests to have that same experience, if they want it. Some of my best memories involve me and my best friends hanging out, each of us nestled under our own fuzzy blanket while we sipped coffee and talked together.

Leaving blankets around the house (particularly where you know your guests will be) makes them easily accessible. Make sure your guests know that they are welcome to grab a blanket and they are not just for decoration.

Allow for Inconveniences

Sometimes, house-guests don't come in the form we prefer if we are honest. Sometimes our invited guests are early when we aren't ready, late when it inconveniences us, and sometimes, guests show up unannounced and uninvited.

While it's good to have boundaries and it's fine to talk to your friends about these issues if need-be, sometimes we need to remember that hospitality is for the glory of God and it's not about you and me. We need to allow for inconveniences in our hospitality, and we need to be willing to be interrupted in our own ideas of what hospitality looks like. Sometimes welcoming people into a cozy atmosphere means giving them grace and allowing for inconveniences.

Show Love

At the end of the day, the most important part of hospitality is showing love. You won't always have a clean home, extra coffee to share, or a candle to light. Sometimes, all you have to give is love, and that's the most important part of creating a cozy and welcoming home.

Think about it: a home can have the best smelling candles, the softest blankets, the most delicious coffee, and all the best food, but if the owners of that home are cold or uncaring, the house will feel a lot less cozy and welcoming. Hospitality for the Christian should be rooted in love -- Christ's love -- and that's what really makes people feel welcome, cared-for, and cozy.

Looking for more information on hospitality? Check out these posts:

• Real Hospitality: If you came to my house unannounced
• What is the Ministry of Hospitality? 
• How to Create Community in the Fall
• How to Host a Pumpkin Party

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