Preparing Your Guest Room for the Holidays
‘Tis the season for festive cheer, merrymaking – and house guests! With the holiday season here, if you haven’t yet, it’s time to start prepping your guest room for visiting friends and family. Of course, the point of having guests is to spend time together and make happy memories, but you still want to ensure they are comfortable and that the space you create for them radiates warmth and hospitality. An ideal guest room doesn’t have to be fancy, as long as it’s clean and inviting. And, of course, a few personal or holiday touches don’t hurt either!
Before you make any changes, it’s a good idea to evaluate the space. The best way to test your guest room is to act as if you’re the guest staying there. When you walk into the guest room, ask yourself a few questions like, “What’s missing?” or “Can I change anything to make it more comfortable?” Take note of all the things that strike you and pay attention to what you see, feel, hear, smell, and touch, so that all the senses are in play.
Ready to level up? Here are four tips on how to create the perfect guest room.
Set an Intention
Your first step to creating the perfect guest room is to determine your intention for the space. Do you want your guest room to evoke a tranquil oasis? Do you want it to look like a chic boutique hotel? Or perhaps you want it to be a cheerful room that immediately makes your guests feel like part of the family. By determining your intention for the guest room, you can also set boundaries and expectations. For example, if you prefer short-term guests, you should design the room for one or two-night stays (or whatever may suit your needs).
Choose a Focal Point for the Guest Room
No matter what room you may be in, there should always be a primary focal point. And when it comes to your guest room (or any bedroom), the primary focal point should be the bed. After all, it’s the sleep experience that someone will always remember the most! So it’s important to have a bed that feels as good as it looks. Start with a high-quality mattress that is built to suit a range of different sleep styles. Next up, you should invest in soft bedding that’s not only easy to care for but is also hypoallergenic, to ensure all your guests’ comfort. By choosing a soft bedding material, family and friends will feel relaxed and sleep much better during their stay. Keep in mind, less is more; a guest bed should only include a blanket and a simple duvet or coverlet. Your sleeping pillows should be stacked behind the shams for no-fuss access, and then add on a couple of accent pillows in colors you love that tie the other decorative elements in the room together. For colder weather, you can fold a quilt or additional blanket at the foot of the bed.
Add Furniture and Accent Pieces
To help your guests feel welcome and as if they were in their own home, you should also include additional pieces of furniture. After all, there’s nothing less inviting than a bleak little guest room with nothing in it but a bed and a random lamp! It’s not very costly to add a small desk in the corner of the room with a few books, or maybe even a tablet or laptop. A small dresser can also be placed near the bed for guests to keep their clothes neat and wrinkle-free. Add a nightstand and lamp to either side of the bed with a tissue box, bottled water, or maybe even a plant. Adding a wall-mounted or full-length mirror to the room will also be helpful, especially if the bathroom will be shared. An extra seating option is always welcomed (even if you pull a chair from somewhere else in your home), and don’t forget to provide space for luggage and storage too. If the guest room is in use as an office or craft room the rest of the year, be sure to clear out enough closet area for guests to unpack.
Add a Personal Touch to Your Guest Room
Make sure there’s easy access to an outlet in the room and leave a welcome card with the WiFi code for internet access. Create a goody basket with bottled water, healthy snacks and tasty treats that your guests can enjoy when they have the late-night munchies. Place an overnight kit for your guests with extra toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, lotion and so on. Think of the items that are provided in a hotel room, or things that you sometimes forget to pack when you’re traveling. Set out extra towels. If your guest room has its own bathroom, check that spare rolls of toilet paper are easy to find and keep some cleaning supplies in the bathroom so your guests can discreetly clean up an accidental spill.
You may also want to add one or two holiday or seasonal touches. For example:
- A small Christmas tree
- A jar of homemade gingerbread or cookies
- A cozy blanket or throw
- Some winter greenery (real or faux!) like a small wreath hanging in the window
- A vase of seasonal flowers or a potted Christmas plant like amaryllis or poinsettia
Before your guests arrive, remember to take a trial run of your guest room. You will discover what’s working, what’s not, and what’s missing, giving you the opportunity to work out any kinks and make adjustments before the doorbell rings. The more pre-planning you do, the more enjoyable the experience will be for everyone when you have guests in your home celebrating the holidays!
