Guest rooms, often unused most of the year, all too often end up as a holding area for clutter you're too attached to toss but not quite in love with enough to put out in a frequently used room. Moving into a new home creates the perfect clean slate for setting up a guest room that is a luxurious home away from home for visiting friends and family. Keep reading to learn how to set up a guest room that wows visitors.
Start with the essentials:
If nothing else, be sure to put out plenty of blankets and pillows for your overnight guests to sleep comfortably in your home. Make sure to have at least one lightweight blanket and one heavy one to suit varying temperatures.
Try spending at least one night in your guest room to get a feel for the room. Is it extra drafty? Is the sun overbearing in the morning or maybe the room is poorly lit for the nighttime. Having first-hand experience with staying in your guest room helps you to thoughtfully furnish the room.
If your guest bedroom doesn’t have its own bathroom hang a mirror up for guests to get ready in the comfort of their own room.
Put items for guests to use out in plain sight so that they do not need to feel like a snoop going through drawers to find an extra blanket or spare toothbrush. When setting up the room get creative with ways you can tastefully leave these items out instead of just cluttering up available surfaces.
Speaking of a spare toothbrush, earn bonus hospitality points by leaving out spare and travel size personal care items for your guests who may have forgotten their own. You’ll also want to stock the bathroom with extra toilet paper, tissues, and towels.
Little extras that make a big impression:
For guests who are staying for a few days or longer, you should provide plenty of available hooks and hangers as well as at least one empty drawer. You may also want to include a bedside clock with an alarm feature.
Bring in the comforts of home by providing a bedside light, books and magazines as well as a comfortable chair to sit in with a side table. Fresh cut flowers or houseplants always make a room feel more pulled together and lived in.
Leave out some entertainment options for guests who may be night owls or early risers. Whether you add magazines, books or a few movies make sure they are current and interesting. In the age of the mobile phone be sure to also include your home’s wifi password out in the open, perhaps even framed, and spare charging cords.
Add lastly, you can add a touch of luxury by including an electric kettle, mugs, packets of tea, instant coffee and packets of creamer and sugar. Consider also putting out a few snacks and drinking water.
When having friends and family stay overnight the hope is always for them to feel at home. You can avoid a cold, unwelcoming guest room by employing just a few of the above tips. After all, it’s the little things that count and your extra efforts surely won’t go unnoticed!
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