As you all know I’ve been on the road quite a bit in September — for the last 21 days I was on the road 15 days — and of the last 39 days I was away from home for 22 of those. It is good to be home. I do love to travel and I do miss some of it while I am at home. The biggest things I miss while not being on the road (excluding corporate paid meals and travel) is the service at hotels (good hotels, not that shitty Sheraton in Virginia with the broken toilet and scab pressed into the carpet). I’ve tried, and have been semi-successful in, replicating some of the hotel experiences in my own home, which I will share with you all here today.

• Always make your bed. It is so nice to come home to see a freshly made bed. It would be even nicer to see new/clean sheets everytime you walk back into your home, but that’s not going to happen. Also, change your sheets at least once a week. You can get pretty decent sheets from Target — 600 thread count, crisp white sheets. If you have multiple sets, you don’t have to do laundry every time you want to change sheets.
• Once you are finished using the washroom, fold your toilet paper. I usually just fold it into a point, but with this website you can go a little crazy. Triangle TP on the roll is a nice surprise. So many times my guests will comment on it — they think I’m crazy, but it brings a smile to their face…they never fold it back when then are finished though.
• Display your fruit. Don’t shove fuit into the refrigerator. Let is sit on the counter. If you see it, you will eat it. You don’t have to have a silver bowl or another expensive display piece — use what you have. The fruit is the focus.
• Use aromatherapy bath products. Who doesn’t love getting into a Marriott shower and smelling the citrus shampoos and conditioners. They provide a soothing and relaxing way to start or end your day.

These are just a couple of things that I do around the house to give my home a more sophisticated hotel feel. These things take just moments a day to do or maintain. Give it a try and I personally guarantee within two weeks you’ll feel happier and wonder why more people do not fold their TP.

Next time, I will be talking about ways to make your guest room more like a hotel — but not so much that your guests don’t want to go home.