Make Life Havenly: Holiday Guest Rooms

Holidays are a season full of surprises–and guest room visitors. When your in-laws/aunt/cousin called to ask if it was ok if they stay with you, it was September, so of course it was ok. But now it is December and they are coming. Fast.

We all love our family and friends and most of us are happy to open our home to them, but having guests in your house is stressful, no matter how close or comfortable you are around them. In anticipation of the house guest season, we thought we would go through how to prepare your guest room, whether you just need a few last pieces to make it feel warmer, or you’re starting from the ground up.

“I have four walls and a ceiling, and don’t know where to start.”

We all know the feeling—standing in the middle of an empty room and having no idea where to even begin. For you, we recommend our partner Havenly, a virtual interior design company. Havenly provides affordable ideas and plans for designing your space to fit your needs and source all the best products for aesthetics and function. The best part? You can do it all from the comfort of your own home. You can start from the very basics, an empty room. Right now, T&N is the only mattress company partnering with Havenly, and we can say that both companies are dedicated to helping you avoid the nightmare, sleep-deprived house guest.

“I have a mattress and a bed frame. And nothing else.”

Pillows and linens are your next step. You’ll want your guests to feel comfortable—whether you want them to be more or less comfortable than if they were to just stay at a local resort or hotel just a few miles away is up to your discretion.

Our cotton Percale Sheets are a crowd pleaser, as are our Down Alternative Pillows. We know it can be hard to invest in bedding that you feel like you’ll never use, but you it’s nice to have an extra set lying around to add in the rotation on laundry day.

It’s always hard to tell if your guests tend to sleep hot or cold, so it’s best to provide addition layers that they can add to make themselves comfortable. A cozy Throw Blanket at the foot of the bed is a chic-yet-functional touch.

Providing nightstands on both of sides of the bed is another vital part to any guest room. Everyone has something they need to keep next to them at night, from medications and water to phones doubling as alarm clocks.

Make sure you pull clean, fluffy towels out for your guest and make them readily available. Everyone makes fun of Monica for having so many categories of towels, but having a few nice and fluffy towels saved only for guests can go a long way in making them feel comfortable. And might we suggest erring on the side of “Fancy Guest.”

“I have all the basics covered, but I want to go that extra mile.”

Well done—do you have a degree in hospitality? Are you gunning to be the next Martha Stewart? Now, it’s time for the special touches that will really stand out in their memory.

Make space for your guests. Does the closet have room for them? Do you have luggage stands ready for them? (Use these when you are packing for your own trips as a back-saving hack!)

Write out the Wifi password and leave it in their room. Repeating “S-U-P-E-R-F-R-E-A-K-2-0-1-9” out loud to them for each of their devices is painful for both of you.

Save everyone the embarrassment of them asking and buy an extra plunger for the guest bathroom or make sure yours is within sight. It’s a small thing that could be a big relief for both of you.

Having a phone charger already on the nightstand is a really nice touch that will go a long way with your guests.

Leave them a water pitcher and a couple of glasses, or make sure they know where the cups are and that they are more than welcome to help themselves.

Lastly, a truly above–and–beyond host can create a welcome basket with some of the following items:

• Guests slippers
• A candle with a lighter/matches (Bonus points if it seasonal to the time they are visiting!)
• Cough drops
• Aspirin
• Antacid
• Toothpaste and tooth brush
• Chapstick
• Hand lotion
• A snack or two from someplace local (a salty snack AND a sweet snack)
• A handwritten note with some recommendations (if they’re going to be spending time without you)

“I have everything and am a wonderful host… I think.”

Some don’ts just to skim the room to make sure you aren’t accidentally making your guests uncomfortable.

• Analog alarm clocks or wall clocks that tick. The thought was there, and clocks are a great way to decorate and provide the local time for traveling guests, but clocks that tick are truly annoying and could keep anyone awake.
• Letting your pet free–roam in their room. I’m sure they love your pets too, but everyone has different comfort zones with pets in the bedrooms and beds. Make sure your pet (and their hair!) isn’t claiming your guests’ space as their own. (Check here for a sure-fire way to give doggos their own space.) Same goes for your kiddos!
• Not picking up the space. Guest rooms are frequently also storage spaces, but that doesn’t mean you should leave all your crap out for your guests to have to side-step around. Make sure things are put away and even put in your room for the time while your guests are there. This might be a good time to purge some of the things you haven’t looked for since last holiday season, as well.
• Leaving them guessing about what is happening when. There is no need to schedule every single minute of their stay (another thing to avoid), but letting them know when they arrive what time people are coming over or you’ll be leaving to head over to someone else’s is really helpful. Even writing down a loose schedule and putting it in their room is a nice touch.
• Not checking that the bathroom/shower is stocked Before your guests get in, make sure your guest bathroom is stocked with shampoo, conditioner, soap/body wash, tissues, toilet paper, and hand soap. No one wants to have to ask for these items.

Are you interested in learning more about our newest partner Havenly? Need some Down Alternative pillows for your niece to crash on your couch? We have all your necessities covered.