1. CREATE PRIVACY WITH A COZY ARMCHAIR
'People feel more comfortable when situations are more predictable, and so when your home is taken over by guests, you’re suddenly put into a situation where your refuge, your inner space, becomes unpredictable,' says Dr Ash.
2. SUGGEST A WALK
It may seem like a simple seasonal idea, but there is more to a walk than just stretching your legs. 'When it comes to group activities, going for a walk can be incredibly helpful,' says Dr Ash. 'If you go for a walk you can choose how social to be - you can drop behind or go ahead, you could just be with one person, and if you choose to fall silent you’re still present with the group.'
3. GATHER IN THE KITCHEN
We spend a lot of time thinking about modern kitchen ideas, and behind them all is the goal of creating a space to feel at home in. 'Cooking together is the same kind of thing as having a walk,' says Dr Ash. 'You can be really focused on the task, listening to the buzz around you without contributing to it, or you can get involved.
4. DISPLAY TREASURED OBJETS
There is way more to shelving ideas than just storage - what you put on them or around the house on display can have a holistic effect, too. 'I think that beauty in the inside of a house is very important,' says Dr Ash. 'When people come into an environment with beautiful things, they notice and they feel that it’s a loving environment. It doesn’t have to be excessive - even small touches can make a big difference.'
5. MAKE BEDROOMS COMFORTABLE
How people behave is affected by how they feel, of course. And if you know how to sleep better you can change everything. 'You can predict that people are going to sleep badly,' says Dr Ash. 'Any time everyone sleeps away from their home situation, they will sleep worse. People might be crammed in quite close together, floorboards might creak as people use the bathroom, or light may stream in earlier than people are used to.
6. LAUGH ABOUT THE BATHROOMS
It's a bit late now to be worrying about modern bathroom ideas - it's better to make the best of what you have in place. 'A lack of bathrooms can often cause issues,' says Dr Ash. 'If you have a large group staying and only one bathroom, there’s not much you can do, but if you acknowledge that it’s annoying, it makes it easier. Things get much better when everyone can laugh about it - it relieves the tension.'
7. REMEMBER, THEY'RE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
'The best way to have a nice time in any of these situations is to have a feeling of compassion,' says Dr Ash. 'If you feel compassion for other people, their actions become much more comprehensible, and you end up feeling much happier. After all, the reason we get together is to spend time together and express love for one another and you can enable that.'