Home Kuel Thought Leader: Lori Roach
Do you have guests coming to visit for the holidays? Want to set up a comfortable guest room?
Whether they are family members, distant relatives, or good friends, you obviously want to make them feel comfortable and welcome. One of the best ways to achieve this is by creating a comfortable and inviting guest room for their stay.
Focus on just a few key amenities, and your guests are sure to feel pampered and appreciated.
When it comes to hosting guests during the holidays, setting up a comfortable guest room is essential to ensure your guests feel welcome and at home. Whether you have a dedicated guest room – or you are rearranging an office, den, or other room –make it feel special for your guests.
“Make sure the guest room is clean before your guests arrive.”
7 Steps To Create The Perfect Guest Room:
1. Clean The Room Thoroughly:
Make sure the guest room is clean before your guests arrive. This includes dusting, vacuuming, wiping down surfaces, and removing clutter.
If you are converting an office or den, rearrange or remove furniture to make this room feel more like a bedroom. If you generally use the guest room for extra storage, move those items to another location while you have visitors.
Clean the guest bathroom while you are at it. Organize drawers and cabinets. Stock up on towels, washcloths, toilet paper, and other basics.
2. Create A Sleeping Oasis:
The most important aspect of a guest room is, of course, the bed.
Make sure the bed is comfortable with fresh, clean sheets, extra blankets, and pillows. Consider providing a variety of pillow types to accommodate different sleeping preferences. A duvet or quilt, along with a few throw pillows, can add an extra touch of coziness.
Everything about the guest room bed should make your guests feel pampered and special.
“A folding luggage rack is always handy to keep suitcase items in easy reach.”
3. Provide Space For Your Guest:
Make sure your guests have plenty of horizontal space to unpack their belongings and store their clothes and other items, such as the tops of dressers and nightstands. Don’t overfill these areas with décor, as your guests may need the storage space.
Clear out some closet space and drawers. Place some extra hangers and a laundry basket or bag in the closet. A folding luggage rack is always handy to keep suitcase items in easy reach.
4. Consider Technology:
Provide your guests with your Wi-Fi password and provide a charging station for phones, readers, and laptops. Place a spare phone charger in the room, along with a small fan and alarm clock to ensure a comfortable and timely stay.
A mirror, bedside lamp, and nightlight will be much-appreciated conveniences.
If the room is large enough, add a comfortable chair or small sofa where your guests can relax. This can provide a cozy spot for reading or watching TV and can also serve as a place for guests to sit while getting ready in the morning.
5. Provide Bathroom Essentials:
Make sure your guests have access to clean towels, washcloths, and basic toiletries such as soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Have a supply of cotton swabs, dental floss, pain relievers, and other personal necessities already in the bathroom, ready for use.
It’s also thoughtful to provide hand sanitizer and a toothbrush and toothpaste in case your guests forget to bring their own.
“Consider your guests’ preferences (and any allergies) when choosing flowers and candles.”
6. Add Some Special Touches:
Fresh flowers in a vase are always a nice touch, as are scented candles that fill the room with a warm and inviting fragrance. Consider your guests’ preferences (and any allergies) when choosing flowers and candles.
Provide magazines or books for your guests, and perhaps some local information if your guests will be out and about on their own.
Fill a welcome basket with goodies for your guests to enjoy during their stay, such as chocolates, hard candies, granola bars, cookies, and fresh fruit. Include water in bottles or a pretty carafe, and maybe even a small bottle of wine or other beverage your guests enjoy. Add napkins and glasses, if needed.
7. Finally, Make It Festive!
Make your guest room feel extra special during the holiday season by adding some festive touches. Consider hanging a holiday wreath on the door, wrap garland and ribbon to the headboard, or add a holiday-themed toss pillow or two on the bed. Go a step further by using holiday-themed bedding.
For Christmas, a miniature decorated tree will decorate the top of a nightstand or dresser – especially if it lights up at night.
Add some string lights to the room for a magical feel – the tiniest twinkle lights are perfect for this use. Hang them around picture frames and plants, cluster them in a clear vase, or swag them around the room at ceiling height.
Hosting guests during the holidays can be stressful, but with a few extra touches, you can make your guests feel comfortable and welcome. When you plan to make your guest room cozy and welcoming, you show your guests how thankful you are that they have come to visit.
Take the time to make your guests feel extra special – and enjoy your time together.
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About the Author:
Lori Roach’s professional career has encompassed convention management, corporate training, education administration, and – most important to her – full-time motherhood. As she entered her mid-fifties, she found herself moving to a new city – leaving her friends and job behind just as she became an empty nester. Seeking both purpose and a new challenge, Lori started a blog, CircleSquareOval. Her goal is to help every woman “shape a modern midlife” by focusing on self-discovery, confidence, and connection to the world around them.
A bit of a gypsy at heart, Lori has relocated twenty-two times in her life, making her something of an expert on settling into a new space, unpacking and decorating quickly, and creating a feeling of “home”. She joins Kuel Life as a Home Category Expert.
You can read more from Lori at CircleSquareOval and find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest as well.
