'Tis the season for holiday get-togethers, and that might mean friends or family coming into town to stay with you, and they’re gonna want a place to sleep.
Whether you have a dedicated guest room, or your office or playroom will double as a bedroom for a few days, you want them to feel at home and happy that they’ve come to stay.
Personally, I live and die by checklists, (it's so satisfying to cross things off!) and I thought you might like your own list of things to do get your room ready for company and make your guests think you’ve thought of everything to make them feel welcome.
Make some space
If you’ve let stuff pile up in the guest room, take the opportunity to de-clutter. If you can’t completely clear out the closet and a dresser, at least create some empty space so they can unpack, stash a suitcase, etc. And make sure there are empty hangers in the closet to hang up clothes.
If the guest quarters are normally your office space or the kids’ play room, put away toys or paperwork and clear things off the surfaces of desks, tables, etc. Some nice decorative boxes can stash your stuff and make the room look more tidy.
Include a nightstand with a lamp for night time reading, a chair to sit on, and maybe an interesting book or magazine.
Dress up the bed
There aren’t many things better than slipping into a well-made bed with fresh linens. You can get hotel-quality sheets for a decent price at places like Marshall’s and HomeGoods. And flannel sheets are oh so divine for the winter.
How about the bed pillows? Are they flat and tired? Get some new fluffy ones. They aren’t that expensive and are s-o-o-o much nicer to sleep on.
Check out the sofa bed before company gets there. Do you need to vacuum out stray crumbs or get a foam pad to make it more comfortable?
Make sure there are extra blankets handy, and layer a throw blanket across the end of the bed to add some color and “cozy” to the room.
Pay attention to the little things
Provide a goodie box or basket of personal items in the room in case they’ve forgotten something - - things like sample sizes of shampoo and shower gel, tissues, a travel alarm, toothpaste and extra toothbrushes, hair dryer, a night light, etc. Get creative and wrap it all up in something clever like a pair of slippers they can take home with them. Love this idea!
Photo: Pretty Providence
Leave fresh towels and washcloths where they’re easy for guests to find.
It’s nice to have a few bottles of water and some little snacks like granola bars or fresh fruit or Christmas cookies for late night nibbles.
Provide your company with your Wi-fi password with a cute framed printable like this one from Etsy:
Photo: Etsy
Garnish this little retreat you’ve created with fresh flowers or a few simple Christmas decorations like pinecones or candles.
Be the hostess with the mostest, and make their stay a memorable one!
Do you have special things you like to do for your house guests? Share them in the comments section below. I'd love to hear from you!
