I decided that it would be fun to ask my Facebook friends and followers what they like when staying overnight in someone’s home. I asked, “What are the one or two things that make your stay extra comfortable?â€Â The responses were great!  I will give you a top five now so you can plan accordingly when your holiday guests arrive!
- Morning Coffee or Tea available
I highly recommend having a coffee or tea “station†in your kitchen. This should be set up the night before so if your guest awakes early they will know what to do. Perhaps have written instructions placed by the nightstand in the guest room (by a flower arrangement) with morning tips. That being said if you have a cappuccino maker and you have to grind the beans prior to making coffee…it may be best to wait until your guests wake up before making noise!
- Proper reading lamp
Often we neglect the simple things in the guest bedroom. Ensure that there is proper lighting in the room, which is not overhead lighting, for a guest to read. Lie in the guest bed with the lamp light on to check if there is proper light to read by. If not, there are many inexpensive lighting options. To better understand the new light bulbs and how to determine what you need, click here.
- Guest towels
If you are fortunate enough to have a guest bathroom off your guest room then you have the ideal situation for guests. Often, the guests have to share a bathroom with family members. If that’s your situation, I would highly recommend placing many clean towels for each guest either on a towel bar that you install behind the door of the guest bedroom; an over the door hook arrangement, or use shelving or a cabinet for storing clean towels.  Keep in mind that your guests need a place to put the wet towel; you may wish to include this in your instructions.
- Fresh sheets, pillows and warm blankets
Choose soft and comfortable sheets, if you’re unsure what sheets to purchase, click here for a good explanation on the differences in quality. Please have multiple pillows per person and ensure that they are clean and fresh. If you are still using the same pillows that you’ve had for many years, it is time to throw them away and purchase new ones! If your guest room runs cold during winter months, ensure that you have enough clean, soft, and warm blankets or coverlets for the bed.
- Toiletries
I would recommend creating a basket of toiletries that you set in the guest bedroom as well as the bathroom. Both baskets should include Q-tips, cotton balls, travel pack of face wipes (for sensitive skin, no fragrance). The bathroom basket should include, soap, shampoo, conditioner, extra razors, small shaving lotion, face wipes (for makeup removal), tooth paste, a hand mirror that includes a magnifying mirror. Please be sure there is tissue in both the guest room and the bathroom and also a trash receptacle in both rooms. Supplying a blow dryer for your guests is also a nice touch!
It’s the personal touches that can truly make a stay in someone’s home memorable. A special note of thanks, a vase of flowers by the bed, a bowl of chocolates, a bottle of wine with glasses, a carafe of water by the bed. Enjoy your friends and family this holiday season!
If you find that you need help with your guest room redesign, contact Debbie@RedesignRight.com!
Debbie Correale is founder and owner of Redesign Right, LLC. You can learn more about her at www.RedesignRight.com. Find her on Facebook.com/RedesignRight, Twitter @RedesignRight, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Houzz and Google+.