Home decor: Preparing for guests

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 12:00 AM

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By Lexi Nielsen

Design Blogger

For some of us, having a separate bedroom designated specifically for guests would be a luxury. Most of our “spare” bedrooms do double duty: guest room + office; guest room extra storage space; guest room craft station, laundry central, etc. But a few simple steps in preparation for a visit can make even a triple duty room seem warm and inviting for guests. 

• Clear out a top drawer in a dresser and let guests know it’s there’s for them to use.
• Make room in the closet for their hanging items. Make sure to leave several wood hangers for them to use!
• Install hooks on the backs of doors for guests to hang coats, towels etc.
• Leave laundered robes  - specifically purchased for guests only - on the back of doors. These come in handy in January when guests don’t want to wander downstairs only in their pjs!
• Most bedrooms are short on space, so leave a luggage rack out for suitcases if there isn’t enough drawer space.
• Remove clutter. Temporarily store it in the basement or under a bed. This means boxes, books, exercise equipment, ironing boards, toys, laundry, etc. Don't leave anything out that could trip a guest or make them feel like they're staying in a storage locker!
• Make sure there’s an end table on both sides of the bed for guests. This is good feng shui: you are encouraging good chi for the entire bed, even if only one person is sleeping there.
• Check to make sure that bedside table lamps have working bulbs! And do make sure there’s a lamp on both sides of the bed.
• Flip mattresses on a regular basis even in guest rooms. Again, this is good feng shui: using all sides helps the mattress retain its firmness and promotes good chi. Nothing gets stagnant.
• Swap out photos in frames for ones with your guests in them. It’s a small gesture, but makes guests feel welcome.
• In the bathroom, clear space for a guest’s personal items, both on the vanity and in the shower. Empty a drawer for them if possible.
• I like to use different colored towels for each room, so that in a shared bathroom everyone knows who’s is who’s. Make sure there is ample hanging space for a guest’s towels.
• Leave a new, unwrapped bar of soap and perhaps even small bottles of shampoo or body lotion in a basket in the bathroom or guest room.  Careful Peach and Bramble are wonderful places to pick up guests soaps.
• Lastly, place coverlets on beds or in closets with extra duvets or pillows. It’s January after all, and these old houses are drafty!