Holiday Season Guest Room Updates

After my husband, Greg, and I got married, we lived in a cozy 2-bedroom apartment ("cozy" really means small). The second bedroom was used as an office, so we didn't really have anywhere for overnight guests to stay. Now that we've moved into our first house, we have a designated guest room and really enjoy having friends and family stay with us—especially around the holidays. There's something about having a house full of friends and family around the holidays that gives you the warm and fuzzies.

'Tis the season to get the guest room ready for overnight guests, so here are seven of our favourite tips for making a guest room guest-ready for the holidays…

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #1

One of our favourite things to do for our guests is to have a welcome basket in their room when they arrive. In the basket we normally have a few bottles of water, a few snacks for midnight cravings and early risers, a crossword puzzle book, and a few favourite issues of our local magazine. For the snacks, we included a mason jar filled with trail mix (which we re-named "Squirrel Mix" to tie it in with the Fall season) and a jar of cranberry citrus scones. We don't have kids, so we also have a box stashed away in the closet filled with colouring books, crayons and other small activities for our friends and family who have little ones.

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #2

Make sure you have enough empty space in the closet and dresser for your guests to unpack their belongings. Our guest room closet used to be a catch-all for everything we didn't know what to do with. After installing a few shelves and doing a bit of organizing, we now have plenty of room for our guests' hanging clothes and luggage. This helps guests feel more comfortable because they don't feel as though they're intruding on your space. We also make a point to keep the side tables empty for them to stash phone chargers, books they're reading, glasses, etc. This makes the room feel more like it's specifically ready for them, and they're not just taking up residence in someone else's space.

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #3

This kind of ties in with Tip #2, but when it comes to decorating a guest room, keep it simple. Of course you want to have personal touches to make your guests feel at home and a part of the family, but don't decorate to the point where the room feels full or cluttered. An uncluttered room naturally feels more pleasant, and this gives your guests room to set our their own things as they wish. To give side tables more "oomph" without adding more clutter, try hanging a frame or two right above the top of the side table. This adds visual interest and weight while also keeping the table surface free for their belongings.

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #4

Everyone has their perfect "pillow formula" for a good night's sleep. I absolutely have to have at least two pillows to get comfortable, while Greg is a happy camper with one pillow and an extra blanket. To make sure your guests sleep well, make sure you have extra pillows (with clean pillow cases already on them) and an extra blanket or two.

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #5

Chances are, the rest of the house is decorated for the holidays, but spread some holiday cheer in the guest room as well. Simple, small touches here and there or a seasonal candle will do the trick and keep them in the holiday spirit—even when they're getting ready in the morning or going to sleep.

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #6

Have an extra house key waiting for them on the dresser so they can go in and out of the house as they need to. There's nothing worse than staying at someone's house, realizing you left your cell phone in the car and accidentally locking yourself out. Been there, done that.

Photo: Ashley Brown

Tip #7

Even in the age of smart phones, it's always nice and convenient to have a phone readily available for your guests in their room. Be sure to keep the ringer off so it doesn't bother them when you get those pesky sales calls early in the morning or late at night.

That wraps up our top 7 tips for getting your guest room ready for the holidays. Do you have any tips to add to the list?