The holidays are upon us and we all know what that means.  Houseguests.  With the economy in a freefall, it’s unlikely you’ll be hearing, “Oh, we’ll just grab a hotel room.”  So, open your doors and make them feel welcome!  Whether you have a designated guest room, an office with a fold-out couch, or a kids room doing double-duty, here are some tips to make your guests feel welcomed and loved.

1. Make the bed as comfy as possible. A thick mattress pad, 600 count sheets and a wonderful down comforter are great basics.  It’s a good idea to store extra blankets in the closet in case your guest gets cold.  Next, lots of pillows not just because they look fabulous, but it’s nice to have something to lean up against when reading in bed.  Along with the bedding, offer luxurious towels and toiletries.

Roll them up nicely in a basket and place in the guest’s room.  Small travel size toiletries are very nice.  Splurge on some nice French milled soaps.

2. Open up Closet Space. It’s a luxury anywhere, so make sure to clear out some space.  Replace any broken hangers with nice wooden hangers that won’t stretch or poke through your guests clothing.  Just remember, Joan Crawford always said “No wire hangers!”  It is actually very good advice.  A collapsible luggage rack can be very useful as well to hold a suitcase that might have to double as a dresser for the duration of the visit.

3. Be Multi-Media Friendly. A place to charge a cell phone, laptop and camera where they won’t be tripped over or stepped on is extremely valuable.  Maybe, a small desk or library table in a hallway can do double duty if the room is too small to support the electronic hub.  A surge protector would go that extra mile.

4. A bedside table is a must. Make sure it is equipped with a lamp, an alarm clock and a carafe and glass for water.

A flashlight is important in case your guest has to find his or her way to the bathroom or kitchen.  Placing it on the bedside table makes it easy for your guest to find in the dark.

5. De-clutter! You want this to be a welcoming respite from the chaos of the holidays.  Clear off your son’s dresser covered with soccer trophies to give your guests a landing place for their toiletry cases!

6. The Personal Touch. A scented candle and fresh flowers go along way to create that sacred oasis.  Pick up some brochures to art galleries, museums or other local attractions to put in their room.  Are there any special events to check out?  Leave information on when, where and cost in your guest’s room.  Pick up a few magazines that are specific to your guest’s interests.  A knitter might enjoy the latest issue of Vogue Knitting or that special photographer might like to catch up with PDN or B&W Magazine.  It’s really all about little things we do to make people feel loved.

If you have any special ideas you do for your guests, we’d love to hear your tips.

Update:

This post is featured in the San Jose Mercury News Home and Garden section here.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 5th, 2008 at 10:50 pm and is filed under Bedroom, Desiree, Peek of the Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.