Guest Room Set Up

I got a call from one of my big brothers yesterday. He's planning to come out to D.C. in July for a very cool, very exclusive family history conference. I LOVE my family and we live a million miles away, so I couldn't be more excited. This got me thinking about our guest accommodations again. After I got our guest room set up, Chance sent me a link to this article about being the perfect host. I would really like to try to incorporate a few more of those ideas in our room. They include a printable guest information packet that I intend to complete soon.

Our Guest Room

The basic premise of the article is that you should set your guest room up in such a way as to emulate a hotel. Even if your "guest room" is actually your nursery with an air mattress you can make it feel like a Home Away From Home with a few little adjustments.

This part of the article was the most striking to me, "What's most notable about a stay at a nice hotel? The staff of the hotel has anticipated your needs. Nice hotels make sure that you have adequate towels, toiletries, and other necessary items. It's awkward to feel like you're always pestering your host for stuff. You want to make your guests feel as autonomous and comfortable as possible."
 That stood out to me in a big way. It IS awkward to constantly ask for things. I needed to figure out a way to provide the essentials to guests in a fool-proof way. The first step was figuring out what the essentials are! I went into each room of our apartment and said, "What would I need in this room?"

Bedroom: Pillows, sheets, comforter, spare blanket(s), night light, space for my suitcase, a flat surface for my stuff, location of easily accessible outlet for charging my electronics.

The most comfortable futon ever.

Bathroom: Towels, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant. (You can get all the toiletries in travel size for around a dollar at most stores. 9 times out of 10 your guests will bring their own, so this should last you a while.)

**Don't forget to think about the absolute worst case scenario. We're talking Ben Stiller movie awkward. I keep Immodium AD and Gas-X in our medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Those are two meds you don't want to ask for. You know what I'm sayin'? I also keep spare rolls of TP and feminine hygiene products under the sink at arms reach.

Kitchen: I need to know the location of the plates, bowls, cups, and silverware.
In terms of food: I keep a grown up cereal, like Special K, and a sugar cereal on hand. I keep a few fruits in a bowl on the counter. I also try to have bread and lunch meat. Our tap water is gross, so we keep bottled water around too.

Living Room: Location of remotes, special instructions for operating the TV (if  necessary), channel #s, Internet access.

Our entertainment center (pre-decor)

Since Chance and I got married really young we have had many vacations that included crashing at a friend or family member's house. From our vast array of awesome to awful overnight stays we've figured one very important thing: You should spend the night in your own guest room. 


You might learn that it is absolutely freezing in there at night. Armed with that information you could crank the thermostat, provide easy access to extra blankets, invest in a space heater, etc. You'll find out if there is an offensive streetlight that needs to be blotted out by better window coverings. You could even learn that your  sleeper sofa is a death trap!

Don't forget that your guests aren't just visiting you; they are visiting your city as well. Show a little local pride by adding decor or embellishments that are unique to your area. The two little stuffed animals were essentially free and they add to the D.C. pride of our room.

I think the best part of this set-up is the brochure holder. When people come to D.C. they can get overwhelmed by all the amazing things there are to do here. I have collected brochures from all the places Chance and I have visited in the area and placed them in a holder that I bought at Staples ($3).

Everything that is displayed here was inexpensive (or FREE!) and makes our guests feel more comfortable and welcome. We've had tons of overnight guests since moving to the area and all of them have commented on how much they love the little set-up. This is an iPhone pic a previous guest took for his Facebook.

Check out some of my favorite linky parties.