Getting the Guest Room Ready for Holiday Visitors

Let’s face it, most of us do not have a room that is dedicated just to guests. More often than not, our guests are sharing a space with a computer, a treadmill, toys, or some combination of those items.

During the holidays in particular, guest-stays tend to be longer and you want them to be comfortable, assuming you want them to come back, of course.

Here are solutions to some common problems that plague the guestroom:

Problem: There is a closet in the guest room, but it’s already full (of your stuff).

Solution: Provide your guests a place to keep their clothes with one of these temporary fixes:
   • Luggage Rack - my #1 choice as it folds up and tucks neatly in the closet when they are gone
   • Folding Garment Rack - Find one that folds flat for storage when your guests leave
   • Arrowhanger White Instahanger - Folding Clothes Hanger - this nifty hanger mounts to the wall and hides within its plastic housing when you are not using it. Hang it in the corner of the room or inside the closet for temporary storage

Problem: No room for a traditional bed

Solution: My favorite fixes for this problem…
   • Daybed - If you have a few feet along the wall, a daybed is a great idea. It doubles as a couch during the day and takes up much less room than a twin bed sticking out into the middle of the room.
   • If you don’t have even the space for a day bed, how about a futon? There are some great new sofa beds out there that are very affordable. My pick is the Sofa Bed with Techniflex Upholstery which requires no mattress as the sleep surface comes with the frame.
   • Air Mattresses - a tried-and-true solution for when you are simply not able to give up the floor space permanently to one of the options above.