There is no better feeling in the summer than escaping the busy city on a Friday after work and heading up north for a relaxing weekend at the cottage. Hosting family and friends is enjoyable but exhausting, so plan ahead to prevent yourself from running around and stressing about your guests. Planning ahead will ensure that you experience a peaceful weekend while still keeping your guests happy.
Stock up
There are some things you can never have too many of. Extra sets of towels and sheets will prevent you from having to do extra laundry throughout the weekend. Pre-made beds, fresh flowers and some water on the night table also gives a welcoming touch.
Additional sunscreen, life jackets, and water shoes will come in handy down at the dock. To ensure the comfort and safety of your guests, keep a bin of products they may need nearby. Some handy items can include Natrapel repellent to ward off bugs and After Bite for instant relief just in case the repellent was applied too late.
Plan Your Menus
Before heading up to the cottage, a quick list of meal ideas will help get the grocery shopping done faster. It is also a good opportunity to ask family and friends what their favourite foods are and incorporate them into the weekend. It could also be great to go to the store together if guests are interested in helping pick out the food. Prep anything you can in advance of meal times to get food on the table faster. Dinner preparation can be a social activity too – get the best barbecuer on the grill. Don’t forget to make fun desserts afterwards! Letting the kids make dessert is often a hit since it is an easy, safe and exciting task.
Suggest fun activities
There is a lot to do at a cottage simply by enjoying the outdoors, but a great host will help add to the fun with suggestions. During the day, keep the kids busy with a scavenger hunt or a mini canoe trip to a nice look out spot. Offer rides on the boat if you have one, or simply give out swim toys and sports equipment. Water skiing is a great activity to do with your guests because it’s something many people don’t normally have the opportunity to do and may be the weekend highlight. In the evening, campfire stories and songs will bring everyone together.
— Tender Corp