Back in April of this year I wrote about the secrets you can learn from the best Air B&Bs when you are styling your guest room space (for the details, a link to this blog is below). In that blog we talked about guest room essentials like: fresh bedding and fluffy towels, glass tops for furniture and baskets with travel essentials, snacks and treats. All these make for a sweeter stay for your guests and show your visitors that you truly are a “hostess with the mostess,” as my Dad used to say. After thinking about it some more, there are a few things that I left out. So if you’ve got your guest room essentials down, you can up your game by adding the following…
Good Lighting Near The Bed is A Guest Room Essential
I can walk around my house in the dark. You probably can too. But stick me in a new-to-me hotel room or guest room and all bets are off. That’s the main reason for bedside lighting. I am talking about lights that can be operated from the bed, so guests don’t have to get up and fumble around to turn on the lights. Place lamps within reach. It’s truly a guest room essential. Alternatively, if you operate your lamps from Alexa or another smart device, make sure to share this information with your visitors. “Alexa, turn on the guest room lamp,” is way easier than taking your sister-in-law to the ER for a broken toe.
Insider Tip: Table top lighting is a great buy on thrift and at consignment shops. Just make sure that the wiring is modern or have lamps re-wired.
Reading Materials Are A Nice Touch
And speaking of lighting by the bed, consider giving your guests something to read in that light. A lot of people don’t get paper copies of magazines and newspapers anymore, but you may want to buy one or two to leave in your guest room. It’s a nice, welcoming touch. Find a basket at thrift or consignment, or stack them next to the lamp on the nightstand. You could also consider a guide to local attractions and points of interest, especially if your guest will be alone for some of their stay with you.
Along With Light, Guest Rooms Need Access To Plugs
Everyone I know travels with a bag of cords to charge their watch, their phone, their iPad, etc. You can make this charging experience easier for your guests by purchasing a “charging station” and placing it someone that is clearly visible. This is way easier for your visitors than crawling under the guest bed (with the dust bunnies) to reach the lone plug behind the headboard.
Let Your Guests Know Your WiFi Address and Password
And speaking of those devices, it’s a lovely touch to print up a little tent card with your WiFi and password. This will allow your guests to access your WiFi easily and save on paying for roaming when they uses their devices in your home.
Insider Tip: Put this information in a cute little frame that you score on consignment. Places like Consignments Ltd. are great resources for inexpensive, but adorable, tabletop frames.
A Trash Basket Never Hurts in A Guest Room
If you make neatness easy for guests, they will usually comply. So place a trash basket in your guest space and the room will stay neater for their stay. It will also be easier to pick up when they leave.
For more on guest room essentials, see my previous blog: How To Make Your Guests Feel at Home.
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