As soon as you log off, take a minute to go out your own front door (take your keys!) and walk up as if you were a first-time guest. What do you see? Do you feel welcome? What sort of people live here?

We all want to make guests feel welcome, but it's important to realize that the welcoming process begins well before you open the door.

Identification.
Whether you're in a house or an apartment, your guests will feel less tentative if the number is clearly marked. A small, hard-to-see address or apartment number is a signal that you'd rather be left alone. A large, easily read number is an invitation to approach.

The better to see you with.
Is the area in front of your door well lit? Does it look like your visitors will be the center of attention? Or does the lighting direct attention away from them?

The center of attention.
And once they're inside, what do your guests see? A spacious, open area free from clutter and bric-a-brac invites them to come in and spend some time. Even if you have the world's foremost collection of antique rug hooks, save them for after your guests have had a chance to make themselves at home—in the living room, say, or the den. Let your guests, not your possessions, be the center of attention, if only for a minute.

Little things, perhaps. But little things can go a long way towards making your guests feel that for a few hours at least, your home is theirs.