Whether your in-laws, distant relations from abroad, or your best friends are coming to stay for the weekend, make them feel special. Here are a few time-proven tricks for entertaining houseguests.

Cleaning up
While there's no need to clean your house from top-to-bottom, your guests will feel welcome if the house is neat, tidy, and smelling fresh and clean. More importantly, you will feel better about welcoming them!

Clutter-free rooms are more relaxing than others. Clear space for visiting in the living room, family room, or deck. Make sure there's an obvious place to sit down and talk.

Organize your guests sleeping quarters so that they have space to put their suitcase, hang their clothes, and put a book, glasses, and tissues. Make the beds with fresh linens.

Make sure there is adequate light in the guest room. Put a reading lamp next to the bed. Wash streaky windows and, if you can, install curtains or blinds so that they don't wake up with the sun.

Clean the bathroom your guests will use. Put out fresh towels and make sure there is soap. An extra roll of toilet paper is a good idea. An especially nice touch is a stack of freshly laundered towels on the bed with a new bar of scented soap on top.

Open windows to air out the house, light some scented candles if it's musty or damp, and arrange fragrant flowers. Your home will say "welcome!"

Special Touches
Put a small bouquet of flowers in the guest room, a water decanter and glass, and two or three books on the nightstand.

Other nice touches are extra pillows, an extra blanket, and a few extra towels. This way, your guests will never feel they are troubling you if they need any of these.

Have some fun with the bathroom: fill a pretty basket with small bottles of shampoo and conditioner (you probably have some extras from hotels!), body lotion, deodorant, Q-tips, toothbrush, and toothpaste. Fresh flowers and a scented candle are nice touch.

Easy Food
Plan meals ahead of time. Shop and prep the food as much as possible. This allows you more time with your guests.

Think about dishes you can make in advance, such as pasta salads, fruit salads, dips and chopped vegetables, cookies, and quick breads.

Have plenty of beverages -- soft and spirited -- on hand as well as cheese, crackers, olives, bread, spreads, dips and other easy snacks.

Find out about dietary restrictions and food allergies and try to accommodate your guests as much as possible.

Don't neglect breakfast. Stock up on coffee beans, tea, juice, cereal, muffins, bread, eggs, and fresh fruit.

If you and your guests enjoy cooking, an excursion to the farmer's market may be part of the weekend activities, followed by time in the kitchen. But don't count on this shopping trip for the entire meal. Buy all else ahead of time.

Sometimes it's much easier to plan to eat in a restaurant for one meal. It does not need to be expensive or formal -- just as long as it's fun! Make reservations to avoid long waits. 

Have fun!
Your guest are here to see you. Part of your job as hostess is to free yourself for them.

Turn down the answering machine, switch off the televison, cell phones, and forget about your e-mail! Pull out some social games, cards, or old movies. Let the conversation linger long into the night. It's time well spent!