Creative Welcome Basket Ideas for Overnight Guests

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If you’re hosting friends or family overnight, they’re probably already very grateful to you for having them. Overnight stays are a great opportunity for catching up late into the night and enjoy a calm morning breakfast with people you care about. Sometimes, however, it’s nice to give your guests an even more special experience with extra hostess touches that they aren’t expecting. Why not spoil your guests a little to show them how much you loved having them stay?

Now that you’ve decided to make the welcome baskets, it’s time to choose what goes in them. Check out these creative welcome basket ideas for overnight guests!

Bathroom essentials

If you’ve ever traveled, then you know how easy it is to forget something you need. Make sure your guest baskets have all the miniature toiletries your guests could possible want during their stay! Give them a spare toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, a bar of soap, hand lotion, Kleenex, and so on. You want them to feel right at home, so make sure they can take care of their basic needs no matter what!(Photo source: Exclusive Bathroom Ideas)

Water bottles

Most people get thirsty at some point in the night but your guests might not feel comfortable bumping around your house in the dark for a glass of water. Make sure they have a fresh bottle each every night (or a clean refillable bottle if you’d like to be more eco-friendly).(Photo source: Jake Smith)

Midnight snacks

No one wants their guests going to be on an empty stomach! Even after a hearty dinner, some people just get the munchies before they sleep. Make sure your guests can snack without feeling uncomfortable about having to ask for food before everyone settles down for the night. Give them a few healthier options, like granola bars, and a few treats too!(Photo source: Boston Magazine)

Specialty coffee or tea

Nothing makes a person feel at home than having their favourite coffee or tea ready to be made in the morning. Guests will feel like they got to bring their own morning routine with them on their holiday.(Photo source: Canvas Georgia)

Just-in-case medication

You never know what kind of ailment might hit someone unannounced, or when! Make sure your guest baskets include medications for headaches, stomach aches, allergies, and other common ailments. This way, if someone wakes up feeling sick in the night, they can grab what they need without feeling guilty about waking you up for help.(Photo source: Maddie B)

A cuddle buddy

Who cares if your guests are adults? Having a cute, squishy stuffed animal to curl up with is never a bad thin, especially for people who get homesick!(Photo source: Wallpaper Abyss)

Spare socks

Few things are worse than having cold feet at night… except for maybe the feeling of a freezing cold floor first thing in the morning! Set out spare socks or slippers to keep your guests feet warm while they visit.(Photo source: Candy Site)

Something nostalgic

Is your best friend from high school visiting with her family? Give them a peek into what you were like as teens and make your friend feel welcomed and loved by including something that reminds her of good times past. It might be a CD, a friendship bracelet, a particular snack, or an old stuffed animal. Whatever it is, your friend will love the thought that went into it.(Photo source: Deviant Art)

A traditional touch

Everyone knows that all the best bed and breakfasts and hotels leave a chocolate on the pillows! Give your guests the full treatment by leaving their favourite sweet, or maybe something special and gourmet, on their pillow each evening.(Photo source: The Butler Speaks)

Reading material

Some people like to unwind before they sleep, but scrolling through a cell phone doesn’t always do the trick. Leave them magazines, newspapers, or a book that you really enjoyed, just in case they forgot their own night time reading material.(Photo source: Adventures of Mel)

Entertainment

What if everyone else has gone to bed but your guest isn’t tired yet? Leave them something to wind down with until they’re ready to sleep. Consider puzzles like crosswords, word searches, or Sudoku. If you have a spare handheld game or tablet, they might enjoy that too!

Spare power

If you’re anything like us, you’ve accumulated spare cell phone chargers over the years. Find out what kind of phone your guests have and, if you have a spare cord, leave it for them just in case. They won’t be pleased if they forget theirs at home and can’t keep in contact with the rest of their family all weekend! Also consider leaving them an extension cord. You never know how many devices someone has to leave charging overnight.(Photo source: Southern Curls and Pearls)

Something to look forward to

Are your guests staying all week to see the local area? Leave them some pamphlets from the tourist attractions you plan to take them to! Is your sister visiting for a concert the next evening? Print out the event poster and stick it in with her other goodies so she knows how excited you are.(Photo source: OMG Posters)

Something local

Out of town guests will love getting to taste local delicacies, so leave them a sample of whatever your town is famous for! If the area isn’t famous for any type of food or drink, give your guests a cute souvenir from the area instead.(Photo source: Visit Northumberland)

A note

This item is the cheapest, the easiest, and perhaps the one your guests will appreciate the most. Tell them how glad you are that they’re here! You don’t have to get sappy (unless you want to, of course) but they’ll feel very well taken care of even with the simplest welcome note.(Photo source: Invitations by Design)

What’s your favourite thing to put in welcome baskets when you host overnight guests? Tell us all about it in the comments!