Create an Inviting Guest Room for the Holidays!

Are you going to be welcoming overnight guests to your home during the holiday season?  I love filling my home with the warmth of family and friends, especially during the holiday season!  Our home is often a gathering space for family and friends who travel from out-of-town. 

I am not alone.  According to the U.S. Department of Transportation website, during the Thanksgiving holiday, the number of long-distance trips increases by 54 percent, and during the Christmas/New Year’s Holiday period the number rises by 23 percent.  Many of these travelers will spend a night or two with family or friends.

My home isn’t very large.  My guests don’t generally have a ton of privacy when they stay overnight, but I do my best to provide the comforts of home in their guest room.  Here are a few tips to make your guests feel especially welcome during any time of the year!

1. Provide new bed pillows.  Nothing is more comforting than laying your head down on a clean and fresh pillow surrounded by crisp sheets.  Stained and musty pillows are simply uninviting.
2. Put out a welcome basket.  Make guests feel at home with a selection of treats and goodies. Fill up a basket with everything from travel-sized soaps to small snacks to munch on after you have gone to bed, and add in a few travel essentials: Q-tips, Stain sticks, medications for aches and pains, hair bands, and mini lint rollers—whatever you think your guests might need.
3. Remove clutter from the room.  Your guests will have luggage and toiletries.  They will likely need to spread out a bit.  Stash your knick-knacks and unnecessary dresser-top items elsewhere.  Keep this in mind while outfitting your guest bathroom as well.
4. Don’t go overboard on bed layers.  Instead, provide access to an extra blanket or two, but let your guests choose how many layers they want on the bed.  We all have our own preferences when it comes to sleeping temperature.
5. Place lamps within reach of the bed.  You don’t want your guests to have to fumble toward the door to turn on the lights in an unfamiliar place.
6. Clear some closet space.  If your guests are traveling during the holidays, they probably have a few nice articles of clothing that they would prefer to hang.  Make sure to leave extra hangers as well.
7. Make an info sheet.  Provide important codes and passwords that your guests will need during their stay.  Include the Wi-Fi password, guest alarm codes, and instructions on how to operate the thermostat or any complicated digital devices.  You might also consider including a list of nearby restaurants and pharmacies.
8. Make drinking water easily accessible.  If you have the space, place a pitcher of water and glasses in your guest room.  If not, water bottles will work just fine.
9. Provide reading material.  Pick up a few appropriate magazines for your guests to enjoy from the comfort of your home.

We hope you have the pleasure of welcoming friends and family to your home this holiday season.  If you are looking for more space to entertain during the holidays, consider a NEW Eastwood Home!  Several of our floorplans even include guest suites on the first floor or secondary master suites!  Check out the Cypress, the Davidson, and the McDowell.