Expecting overnight guests for the holidays? Your impulse may be to launch a redecorating project that has been on your to-do list the past three years. Just stop. You’re busy enough as it is. And your walls can wait a bit longer for fresh paint. Instead, spend some time primping the place where your guests will sleep. With any luck, a few small comforts will have a lingering effect. They’ll be happy in their space, and that could buy you some extra down time – even when your guests are awake.
Sleep, perchance to squeak. Before your guests arrive, spend a night on the bed, couch or futon you expect them to use. Determine whether the mattress squeaks, the sheets are scratchy, or the if room gets too cold. Pay attention to what the room might be missing.
A book before bed. Stack magazines beside the bed. If you don’t know what they read, play it safe with a mix of news and lifestyle magazines. Books are good too. Slip some pens, pencils and blank paper into a drawer, along with some crayons or washable markers for the kids.
Tick tock. Make sure they have a clock, and make sure it works. If your guests need an alarm, provide them with one that won’t wake the rest of the house. Same goes for a phone if they don’t carry a cell.
Provide good light. If there are two people sharing the bed, they’ll each need a light. No extra lamp or lamp table? You can find clip-on lights for a headboard, and smaller ones that clip onto a book.
Minty fresh. Have extra toothbrushes on hand. Who hasn’t forgotten theirs at least once?
Mirror, mirror. If your guest space doesn’t have a mirror, get a full-length one cheap at a discount store and hang it inside the closet door. That way your guests won’t have to get dressed in front of you or tote their wool holiday sweater into the steamy bathroom.
Think like an allergist. If your guest room really belongs to your dog or cat and one of your guests has a pet allergy, rethink the sleeping arrangements or ask what type of cleaning will make the room livable – before they arrive.
