How to prepare your guest room for guests

Preparing for a guest to stay can be overwhelming. You want your guests to relax and enjoy their stay and leave with raving reviews about your role as a host after. Sound familiar? Then this guide is for you!

The festive season is a time of fantastic food, memories shared with family and friends and celebration. Oh, did we forget to mention it’s also one of the most popular times of the year for unplanned visitors to drop in and stay for a while…

Before you freak out, we’ve pulled together the ultimate guide on getting your guest room festive-ready so any unexpected visitors are easily catered for. You’ll have glowing reviews on TripAdvisor (“Aunty Barb’s house was a blast; 5/5”) or win brownie points with your family/friends.

1. Declutter and refresh.  Ok…so currently the spare bedroom is acting as the hideaway for the clothes you washed that are still in folding process. Or perhaps you’re just using it as a bit of sneaky storage for some of those ornaments that seem to gather around the home.
   
   The first step to any great guest room is to declutter! Remove your bits and pieces and the dress or work shirt you wore three weeks ago that still needs an iron…you have a walk-in robe for that! Leave some coat hangers so your guests can unpack and open the windows to let in some fresh air. Lighting a candle in the room is a nice little way to make the space feel fresh and sweet when they arrive.
    
2. Dress the bed. A comfortable bed is gold after a long trip!
   Add a few extra pillows – if possible opt for a variety of pillow density options to offer choice – and make the bed with fresh sheets (there’s nothing better). Have spare blankets at hand just in case, and a nice little trick to make your guests feel more at home is to turn down the sheets so it’s easy for them to hop in and enter the land of nod.
    
3. Make them feel at home. You know what they say, you can travel and explore the world, but there’s nothing better than coming home.
   Give that homely feeling by putting a few cleverly selected items in the room ready for their use. Does Mum love her Better Homes and Gardens magazine? Pop a copy or two by the bed. Does your friend fancy crime books? Put a novel and a light on the bedside table – it will make their day.
   
   An alarm clock is also handy to make sure they are on time to family events and a small vase of flowers is a great way to fill the room with freshness.
    
4. Bathroom basics. Family and friends visit from all parts of this wonderful world. After a long day of travel or even a short trip, there is nothing more satisfying than jumping into the shower to refresh. 
   
   Make sure you have fresh bath towels, face washers, soap, shampoo and conditioner available on the bed for your guests when they arrive. Perhaps also remind the kids to knock before entering the bathroom…it will prevent any awkward moments later.
    
5. Create a peaceful reading nook or incorporate a desk for the busy visitor. Let’s be honest, as amazing as you are, your guests may want a little time to themselves during their stay. A great way to provide for this is by including a desk that offers plenty of room for them to jump online, or a reading nook that creates the ideal setting to relax into their latest book (take note of the title for next year’s Chrissy present).
   
   While these handy tips will certainly give you the inspiration and motivation you need to get your guest room ready for the festive season, the biggest tip we can give is to think about the way you would love to be treated when visiting loved ones.

Happy visiting!