What do you envision when you think of what a guest bedroom should look like? It should be considered a mortal sin to decorate this extra room with throw away pieces of furniture, shabby sheets, and your grandmother's dusty old throw pillows.
Believe it or not, your guests will judge you on how comfortable the bed is, how interesting the wall and window treatments are, and how clean the room is overall. Even though your family or friends may only stay for one night, you should make them feel special in your home and instill within them a desire to return.
The Basics
Every guest bedroom should include a fully made bed (not a cot, blow-up mattress, sleeping bag, heavy blanket, sofa cushions, hammock, tent or any of that crap), night table, lamp, alarm clock, radio, television with cable, or either an antenna providing local channels or a DVD player with up-to-date DVD's, floor mat, a closet with empty hangers, at least one wall picture, a mirror, a small trash can, an empty dresser (if possible), and window treatments (if applicable).
The Essentials
One year my then husband and I took a pleasure trip to Florida and stayed with one of my cousins. He put us up in his second master suite which consisted of a bedroom with a large closet and its own bath with a separate grooming area. It reminded me of my parents' master suit when we lived in Georgia. During another year, my son and I took a pleasure trip to Florida and stayed with my aunt. She had a luxury condo which had two master suites. The one we used had a nice sized bedroom with a large bathroom. We had our privacy and a pleasant stay.
Well, not everyone has a master suite to offer their guests. But that doesn't mean they can't feel like royalty in your home. Anyone who has stayed at my house has told me I'm a very good hostess. Whether they ended up in the guest bedroom or on the sofabed, they were supplied with a luxury Charter Club towel and wash cloth, a new bar of soap to take home (either a luxury bar from The Body Shop or a Yardley bar from the grocery store), etc., which leads me to admonish you to do the following.
Place a fresh, clean towel, wash cloth, and a bar of soap (one set per guest) on the guest bed. Another stylish method for supplying such items is to fill a small basket with the following items, most of which come in travel sizes:
- a rolled towel
- a rolled wash cloth
- new bar of soap
- unopened tooth brush
- toothpaste
- mouth wash
- dental floss
- 2-5 alcohol pads
- shampoo
- conditioner
- hand cream
- comb
- 1 pack of facial tissue
- a disposable razor
- can of shaving cream
- cotton balls in a sandwich bag
- nail polish remover
- an emory board
The Extras: Tip the Scale By Adding Luxurious, Yet Functional, Items
It's the year 2012. So let's be real, folks. Almost everyone needs their electronics fix on a daily basis. I realize that everyone cannot afford to provide themselves, much less their guests, with expensive electronic devices and such. Nonetheless, this is what you should strongly consider providing your guests with if your wallet or purse will allow.
- a charging dock for cell phones, iphones and other wireless devices
- a guest account to use on the family computer or a small desk with an internet-ready computer or wifi for their own laptop, tablet, etc. (don't forget to leave an index card on the night table with the security key or access code)
- a mini refrigerator stocked with bottles of water and/or seltzer water, ginger ale, 1 or 2 small bottles of beer, white wine or champagne
- a dimmer switch instead of a flip light switch (helps to save electricity if they fall asleep with the lights on)
- at least 8 wooden hangers (plastic hangers are too cheap-looking and wire hangers can be dangerous and can snag clothing)
- at least a 300 thread-count sheet set
Important Things to Remember:
Make sure the sheets, blanket and pillow covers are freshly washed and spot-free. Apply a mattress cover, especially if the mattress is old or has stains. Do the same for the pillows as your guest could be allergic to dust or other irritants which may be in or on the pillow. Please do not use cheap, plastic grocery store bags to line the trash can. Purchase a box of small garbage bags or clear liners. Goodyear offers a box of 20 for $0.99 which are sold in many grocery and dollar stores.
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