Take Advantage of Temporary Housing for your Holiday Family Reunion

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It’s hard to believe that the holidays are already almost upon us! But believe it or not, now’s the time to make plans and reservations for Thanksgiving and Christmas or Hanukkah get-togethers. Big gatherings are so much fun, especially if you and your family are separated by many miles. The more the merrier, but we know that for many families it’s difficult or impossible to accommodate all of the visitors you’d like to welcome. That’s where temporary housing comes in.

Temporary housing goes by many names. You might have heard it called corporate housing, short-term rentals or vacation apartments. But no matter what name you give it, it’s your temporary home. Whether you need it for the weekend or for the season, temporary housing can be a very comfortable and welcoming home away from home.

For the holidays, you can affordably house an entire family without imposing on loved ones. Plus you’ll have all the comforts that being in your own place can provide. Kitchen accessories and appliances for mom and dad, cribs and twin beds for the kids, full sized closets and dressers into which you can all unpack, and comfortable furnishings to relax in – a place to make yourself at home.

If you’re planning a big family get-together this year, here are a few tips to start with.

1. Choose a location. Consider the distance your guests will need to travel. You might choose a city where a number of family members live, or a place that’s as centrally located as possible. Also, select and reserve any venues you’ll need, like banquet rooms or restaurants. Even if it’s a public place, like a city park, be sure to obtain any necessary permits before the event.
2. Plan ahead. Lock in the location and venues as far in advance as possible, and give everyone lots of notice. Guests will want time to look for travel deals, request time off from work, arrange for pet-sitting, and so on.
3. Get help! Assign other family members various responsibilities. If you’re having a 3-day event, ask for help with activities and meal planning each day. If you’re simply planning one big meal, assign other family members to different parts of the meal or ask them to contribute supplies (paper goods, beverages, etc.). Assign clean-up after each meal to enough guests that no one has to work too hard.
4. Take tons of photos! These get-togethers don’t happen all the time, and you’ll want to cherish the memories. Have still cameras and video cameras on hand at all times. Consider creating a photo album website that everyone can access and upload their photos to. Google offers free photo-sharing to anyone with gmail and for as little as $5 you can upgrade the amount of storage space to a very large amount. Call your account something like this – Fletcher_family_2010@gmail.com – and give everyone the password.

For more tips on planning a successful reunion, check out Family-Reunion.com.

We can provide accommodations for your guests in nearly 40 cities in 14 different states. For more information about how we can help with your family get-together this holiday season, check out Corporate Housing Associates, LLP, and be sure to email us with any questions you have.