How to Make Any Guest Room Perfectly Inviting
Whether you have a dedicated guest room or have to shift people around to accommodate overnight guests, below is a list of ways to make any space welcoming for stays in your home.
The overall rule for a guest room is to think about the things you need when staying in a hotel room/house rental, and make them easy to find for your guests. Have a basket of towels/linens so they don’t have to go searching. Gather a few travel sized extra toiletries (lotion, soap, toothbrush) and have them on the dresser. We all sleep at different temperatures, so giving your guests some control over the space will help them to be more comfortable and sleep better. That’s my polite way of saying give them both an extra blanket and a fan! Please and thank you.
People who are traveling have stuff. Where will their stuff go? Give them a spot for luggage – if not a rack then at least space to spread out a bit. Hooks, please, so your guests can hang up their clothes or towel! What do you do when you get to your hotel room? That’s right, connect to Wi-Fi – so make sure the Wi-Fi network/password is visible (a picture frame is an easy solution, but we know you guys are creative :). A readily available and visible outlet to charge their phone will of course be helpful, and everyone could use a mirror when getting ready. Plenty of people read before going to bed, so why not keep a few books/magazines on the bedside table, next to the bedside lamp?
Are you ready to hear the most commented on item in my guest room? You guys, it’s water bottles! Keep a few water bottles in plain sight, and your guests will have what they need for their late night Ibuprofen/Melatonin, if they’re anything like me.
One final thought: decorate using your five senses. A soft throw blanket, cozy lighting (lamps) and a candle or diffuser, a drink and a place to put it, and some good old white noise (fan and/or sound machine). Small touches show thought and attention to someone else’s needs. How cared for and welcoming is it to have someone bring you into their home and so obviously think about your comfort? It’s a gift that anyone can give.
Top 10 things to put in a guest room:
1. Extra blanket
2. Fan
3. Bedside lamp
4. Wifi password
5. Spot for luggage
6. Water bottles
7. Mirror
8. Extra toiletries
9. Candle/diffuser
10. Sound machine
Some shoppable options to consider:
2. Portable fan
3. Bedside lamp
5. Luggage rack
6. Bedside carafe with tumbler
9. Diffuser
10. Sound machine
If this all sounds exhausting or overwhelming, then let us help you! If you don’t have a renovation, but have a bunch of little questions about your home, ask us! Give us an hour and we’ll answer your questions, give you specific next steps in whatever spaces you’re unsure about and help to edit your home. Em + Me consulting services
Thanks for reading!
– Emily + Carrie