Blog Post

Guest Room Essentials

  • By Aaron Sapirman
  • 11 Nov, 2021
Guest Room Essentials
As a homeowner, there is nothing better than being able to open up your home to friends and family. While it’s certainly lovely to invite special guests to share a meal, the ultimate act of hospitality is in welcoming overnight guests. To help make your visitors feel at home in your house, you will want to provide them with many of the comforts of home. After all, there is a reason they chose to stay with you over staying in a hotel. Plus, who wouldn't want to be looked upon as the ultimate home organization guru?

A good host will strive to provide the following guest room essentials:  

  • Luxurious Linens
  • Climate Control
  • Bathroom Basics
  • Hydration Station
  • Storage Space
  • Special Surprises

Keep reading for tips and tricks to help make your guests feel welcome.

Luxurious Linens

The very definition of a guest room, according to Merriam Webster, is "a bedroom for a person who is invited to visit or stay in someone's home." So, it obviously must feature a bed of some sort. A murphy bed is ideal if you do not have the space in your home to designate a room solely for guests. It can easily be installed in a home office or den.

If you are fortunate to have a true guest room, then you will want to create a comfy, cozy bed. Take inspiration from your favorite hotel. Start with crisp white sheets made with a high-quality thread count. Hint: There’s a reason hotels always use white sheets – they can be bleached to keep them sanitary and always looking like new.

Then, layer on a fluffy duvet. This is ideal because you can easily change the duvet cover to create a fresh new look or to match the upcoming seasons. Imagine if you will, a beautiful red velvet comforter at Christmastime. Last but not least, layer on a decorative throw blanket. Guests can use it if they are cold, and it adds an instant pop of color to your décor.

Fresh towels are another guest room necessity. You should always provide your guests with a complete set of soft and absorbent towels. This includes a large bath towel, hand towel, and washcloth. Be sure to replace your towels when they get tattered and torn. Or, better yet, donate them to an animal shelter to use in the kennels. Providing a bathrobe for guests to use during their stay is another nice touch, especially if the bathroom is located in the hallway or shared with family members.

Your guests will also appreciate a choice of pillows. Deluxe resorts often offer a pillow menu, allowing you to pick between soft and squishy feather pillows or foam and firm ones. You can make up your guest room bed with a couple of different pillow choices, allowing your guests to sleep on the one they most prefer.

Throw pillows are the perfect way to give your guest room a decorators’ touch. But be careful not to use too many as guests will need to find a place to put them when they crawl into bed at night. One or two are probably just enough to make a statement, without becoming a nuisance. Come holiday time, you can always add an extra themed throw pillow to help spread holiday cheer throughout your home.
Guest Bedroom

Climate Control

You want your guests to feel comfortable in your house but not everyone likes the same temperature, especially at night. Some people prefer to sleep in a cold room while others like it warm and toasty. A fan can help your guests regulate the room temperature for their personal comfort. If your room does not have an overhead fan, consider offering a small bedside fan or a larger oscillating fan.

Extra blankets are another guest room essential. During the winter months, consider leaving a quilt or fleece blanket for your guests to add to the bedding if the room gets chilly.

Bathroom Basics

A basket of bathroom basics is a nice touch in your guest room. Fill it with an extra toothbrush and toothpaste, travel-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner, body lotion, soap, tissues, and whatever other items you think your guests may need during their stay. Don’t forget to include small packets of over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers, antacids, cough drops, etc.

Make sure the bathroom your guests will be using is stocked with extra toilet paper and a plunger (to help avoid embarrassing situations). If guests will be using a shared bathroom, keep a canister of air freshener on hand or a natural-oil diffuser.

A hairdryer is another essential guests come to expect at a hotel, so you might want to make it available in your home as well. Many people do not travel with hairdryers as they tend to take up excess room and weight in a suitcase.

Traveling during a pandemic can be stressful and overwhelming. Help make your guests feel more comfortable by providing hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes. The extra cleaning supplies will allow guests to wipe down their luggage and other items that might have picked up germs on public transportation such as airplanes.
Bathroom Supplies

Hydration Station

Traveling, especially by airplane, can be dehydrating. Consider creating a little hydration station in your guest room. Provide your guests with bottled water, or perhaps a carafe and glass if you prefer to be environmentally friendly. If you know your guests enjoy a specific type of soda or seltzer, why not surprise them with a couple of cans?

Lastly, if your house rules allow eating in the bedrooms, as an unexpected treat you could also provide guests with a few small snacks such as a bag of chips, granola bars, or chocolates.

Storage Space

A good host or hostess will provide space for their guests to unpack. Start by supplying a luggage rack, or even a bench or ottoman, to place their suitcases. As a homeowner, you benefit from this as well because it keeps dirty suitcases off of your bedding and floor.

Real Simple suggests leaving one or two dresser drawers ajar so that your guests can see you have provided space for them to unpack their clothing items. It’s also kind to clear out room in the closet and provide hangers so guests can hang up coats and jackets as well as any items that might wrinkle in a drawer. Speaking of wrinkles, don’t forget to offer your guests the use of an iron or clothes steamer as clothing tends to get creased and crumpled when stuffed into a suitcase.

A laundry basket or hamper is another essential guest room item you probably never considered, but your guests would definitely welcome a place to keep dirty clothes until it’s time to repack to go home. Another unexpected, yet most appreciated, essential is a full-length mirror. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A simple mirror attached to the back of a door will suffice. But it’s nice to provide guests with the chance to check out how they look, especially if they will be spending the day sightseeing and taking pictures to post on social media.
Guest Bedroom

Special Surprises

Beyond the basics, you will want to provide your guests with items to help make them feel at home. Life by Leanna suggests leaving a little note on the bed or bedside table with your Wi-Fi password information. Be sure to include instructions on how to operate the TV and remote control as well. For an extra special touch, give your guests a list of the popular TV station channels so they can easily find their favorite shows.

A charging station is another guest room essential these days. Your guests need a place to charge all of their electronics. Supply a universal charger or a power strip so that guests can plug in their cell phones, laptops, and e-reader chargers.

If your guest room does not have an ensuite bathroom, consider installing a motion-activated night light in the hallway. This will allow your guests to navigate in the dark without the risk of stubbing their toes or bumping into furniture.

Conclusion

One of the joys of homeownership is being able to have friends and family stay over. But, if you’re going to open up your home to guests, you want them to feel welcome. One of the best ways to do that is by making sure that your guest room is equipped with all of the essentials. Sure a comfortable bed and clean towels are important, but it’s some of the special touches, like bottles of water and a spare phone charger, that will make their stay truly enjoyable.

Sources

CONTACT INFO

Hang It Up Closets LLC

79 Brookside Rd #3, 

Waterbury, CT 06708


Phone: 203-HANGITUP (203-426-4488)

COMPANY HOURS
Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

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