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When guests come to visit, providing them with a basket of essentials and some luxuries is not just a nice idea: It's part of being a good host.

Start with an oversized wicker basket that is clean and in good condition. If the basket is large enough, you could put spare blankets, towels or washcloths in it. If it's too small, stack those on a spare chair in the guest room.

Next, put toiletry items into the basket. A fancy bar of soap, toothbrushes, travel-sized deodorant, disposable razors, a mini container of dental floss...

Every toiletry item should be unused and in great condition, of course. Sample sized items work great and look cute. You may use extra shampoos, conditioners, and lotions from hotels, provided the bottles are still sealed and look nice.

You may want to include some aspirin, cough drops, and antacid tablets. Including a travel pack of tissues is also a good idea.

Next put in maps, postcards, and informative booklets about your city or town. Give your guests some ideas for fun outings so they can explore your area. Brochures for museums, natural landmarks, family attractions, and vineyards are sure-fit hits.

If you have a spare vehicle your guests will be allowed to use, put the keys in the basket and include a note if necessary: "Please use our old Corolla as you would your own. Turn up the radio if you can't stand the clunking noise."

Pens, stationary, and an empty journal are nice touches also. So are mints, a nice deck of playing cards, magazines, and a book of great short stories.

Disposable cameras are nice, though many guests will bring their own digital camera.

A small sewing kit could come in handy also.

If your guests have children, make small gift baskets for each child. They will love it! Put in treats, small toys, crayons, etc. Children's books are great too. You could even check out some kids' books from the library. The parents will appreciate that you thought of their little ones.

Gift baskets should look full, even over-flowing. If the basket you are making looks too empty, get a smaller basket.

Consider all the toiletries, disposable cameras, and most paper products fair game for your guests to take with them when they leave.

The good news is that once you prepare a guest-room basket, you can restock it and reuse it over and over again in the future. The first time you get one ready it may seem overwhelming (though fun, hopefully) but once it's been made, you can put it away until your next guests arrive and just refresh it at that time.

It can be enjoyable getting a basket ready for guests. Just think what you would like to see if you were staying away from home.

Be generous! If you like these people enough to let them stay in your home, you can afford to splurge a little. You will make your visitors' stay extra special and memorable, as well as saving them the embarrassment of coming to you to ask to borrow all the little things they have forgotten to bring. It's what separates a good host from a fabulous host!

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