Mother’s Day is upon us and I can’t help but think about my mom and all the wonderful things I love about her. I’ve learned more things from my mother than I am sure I even realize, and so many of those learnings have influenced the way that I entertain and extend hospitality to others. So, in honor of my mother, I thought I’d share a few of the countless ways that she’s inspired me to live graciously:

1) Pay attention to what your guests like.

When I was in high school, I dated a guy who loved Ovaltine. Not one person in our family drank Ovaltine but when my mother learned that he liked it, we began stocking ample supplies of it in our pantry. It was her way of making him feel more at home when he visited.

At the time, I thought it was silly that she’d buy something no one in my family liked, but over the years I’ve seen my mother do similar things to make sure guests always felt relaxed in our home. She has a wonderful ability to recognize what people love, what makes them feel comfortable and cared for, and then act on those things.

We can’t always know each of our guests’ every preference, but paying keen attention to their likes and dislikes (Sally prefers Cab to Merlot, Joe takes Splenda – not sugar – with his cappuccino…) can go a long way in making guests feel cared for when they are in your home.

Many of my friends have children and even though my husband and I do not, I started keeping toys, children’s books, sippy cups, and toddler flatware in the house so that when families are visiting they can relax and enjoy themselves. We love entertaining our friends and spending time with their children and we want that to be evident to them in the way we organize our home.

Olivia -- A great book to keep on hand for children

Always consider what thoughtful gesture might make your guests feel even more welcomed and comfortable in your home.

2) A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place.

Recently, my best friend and I took a girls trip to Naples, Florida and stayed at my mother’s home. My friend commented that it was the most “impeccable house” she had stayed in. I laughed because it is so true. My mother is incredibly organized and lives by the motto, “a place for everything and everything in its place.”

My mother always cleans as she goes and takes the extra time to put things where they belong. There is never as much as a dirty fork in the sink and her pantry looks like a well-stocked grocery store. She has ordered her house in the most logical way, which makes it so easy to find everything. And she does all this without being rigid or harsh about it — it is just the way she is.

When setting up a home it is so important to consider where things should go: glasses near the dishwasher for easy unloading, trash cans in convenient places, and so on… Doing so will not only help to keep your home clean and organized, but it will also help your guests better navigate when they are there.

3) Create comfortable spaces.

Finally, my mother always takes time to make sure that her home is comfortable for her guests by adding small, graceful touches. There were fresh cut roses from her rose bushes in my room when I stayed there last. I love the way that she creates comfortable spaces without even spending a lot of money or doing anything fancy.

I love these tips from Martha Stewart on creating a comfortable guest room

I recently applied this concept in a different way in my home. Our dining room in which we spent a lot of time with our guests was small while our living room was enormous and rarely used. So we decided to switch them. The dining room is now a sitting room that we use for pre-and post-dinner entertaining and the former living room is now a comfortable and spacious dining space. The small switch has made such a difference in the quality of our entertaining.

Making your home inviting for your guests does not take a major overhaul or a significant financial investment. Even small touches or changes can make a dramatic difference in a guest’s experience in your home.

So Mom, thank you for these and the countless other lessons you’ve shown me by practicing effortless, gracious hospitality. Happy Mother’s Day!