With Christmas just a couple of days away, if you're anything like me, then there will probably be a lot of cooking, cleaning, and getting the house ready for guests. One space you definitely don't want to forget about as you're preparing your home is your guest bedroom. Aside from making sure the sheets are clean, or that the bed even has sheets for that matter, it's easy to overlook this space because, unlike your guests, it's probably not a place where you spend a lot of time. Today I just want to share with you some simple tips and ideas that you can use to make your guest bedroom a place where your guests actually want to hang out. Most of these are super easy things that you can do today to cozy up your room and have it guest ready in no time!
Clean it Up & Make it Comfy
The very first thing I do when preparing my guest room for guests is make sure the bedroom is clean and free of clutter. My guest room is on the small side, so I want to save as much room for my guests and their belongings as I can. If you have time for it, try lying down in your guest room just to see if there are things that you notice that might not be the most comfortable for your guests. Are the sheets soft enough? Is the bedding warm enough? Is the temperature of the room comfortable? Is the lighting adequate? I actually slept in our guest room one night just to get a good feel for what my guests would experience, and do you know what the worst thing about it was? The ceiling fan! It made a clicking, vibrating noise that drove me completely crazy! I finally had to get up and turn it off. I can only imagine that it would drive my guests crazy too!
To keep your guests comfortable, make sure that your bed has soft, cozy bedding. You can also add a quilt or blanket at the foot of the bed just in case someone needs a little extra warmth. An ottoman at the foot of the bed is a great place to store additional pillows and blankets. It also serves as a nice place for guests to sit to get dressed or put on shoes. Lamps on either side of the bed give extra light in case you have a guest who is a night owl but whose partner isn't.
Add Special, Welcoming Touches
There are lots of little things you can do to make your guests feel extra special, that don't take a lot of time or money. In my guest room, I added a sweet little pillow to the bed that simply says, "Stay Awhile." It's just a simple way of making my guests feel welcome and letting them know that they're free to make themselves at home.
Another special touch I added was to print out our Wi-Fi information on pretty paper with a cute font. I then framed it and put it on one of the nightstands so our guests have super easy access to it. No more digging around in folders or checking the back of the router for the Wi-Fi password!
Because our guests are usually family members, I wanted to do something special for them by adding a personal touch to our guest room, so I started a gallery wall with photos of our loved ones from both sides of our family. I'm always adding new photos, so this may be one huge gallery wall someday! I just think it's a great way to show those you love how much they mean to you. Oh, and kids love to see themselves in photos, so this has been extra special for my nieces.
Another thing I love to do to welcome my guests is to add a tray of fresh flowers and a yummy candle to my guest room. In my opinion this is one of the quickest and easiest ways to brighten up a room, and to make it feel inviting. If you do nothing else in your guest room (aside from adding clean sheets) do this! Instant prettiness and freshness!
Because we're in the Christmas season, you know I'd love to add a full on Christmas tree to this room, but I just don't have the space, unfortunately. Instead I just added a few simple Christmas touches to bring a in a little Christmas cheer.
Don't Forget the Bathroom!
You want the bathroom that your guests will be using to be comfortable and accessible just like the room they are sleeping in. The first thing I always do is make sure the bathroom is clean. Let's be honest, a dirty bathroom is definitely not welcoming. One thing I love in my guest bath is white towels. I just think it gives a hotel like feel, plus I like that they can be easily bleached if they happen to get stained. If white isn't your thing, which I completely understand, I would just suggest that all of your towels match, no matter what color you choose. It just makes your bathroom cabinet or linen closet look so much more put together and organized. I also make sure my cabinet is well stocked with toilet paper. You can never have too much toilet paper. Finally, I like to add little jars of cotton balls and Q-Tips, which always come in handy, as well as a basket of darker colored wash cloths for make-up removal. This will keep your whites from getting stained with makeup, which can be tricky to get out. Just make sure you label your basket so your guests see them.
In addition to my linen cabinet, I also like to make sure my medicine cabinet is well stocked with items such as pain relievers, cold and allergy medications, and band-aids, as well as extra toothbrushes and toothpaste in case these types of items may have been forgotten by my guests. I also keep the shower stocked with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and I keep a hair-dryer under the sink, as well as a basket for items that my guests may want to leave so they have them the next time they come to visit.
Outside of the door to the bathroom, I keep a basket where my guests can toss their towels when they're finished with them. It makes it so much easier to collect all the towels and get them to the laundry room and back after your guests leave.
Just as in the guest bedroom, I like to add a few special touches to the bathroom as well. I always buy a petite bouquet of fresh flowers to leave on the bathroom counter for my guests to enjoy during their stay and to take with them when they leave. It's my way of thanking them for coming, kind of like a party favor, if you will. Since it's Christmastime, I chose a small potted poinsettia.
The other thing I like to have in the bathroom for my guests is a basket of goodies. I have a tiered basket on the countertop that I fill with special soaps and lotions, super soft hand towels, a pretty linen guest towel, a cute little ceramic bird, and best of all chocolates. Come on, who doesn't like to nibble on a little chocolate while they're shaving or flat ironing their hair?
Well, friends, that's it! I hope this helps you get those guest bedrooms in comfy, cozy, inviting order for all of your holiday guests! Do you have something special that you like to add to your guest room to get it ready for guests? I'd love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below! Have a merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
XOXO
Jennifer
