
Credit: Bless'er House
All too often, a guest bedroom is simply a spare room that’s surplus to requirements most of the time. It can lack a sense of function and purpose and, if you don’t have people to stay very often, it might have turned into an overspill storage space – perhaps even with just an 'emergency' bed for visitors.
In an ideal world, your guest bedroom should always be ready for someone to stay, so that you only need to freshen up the linen and towels, and pop in some finishing touches.
So, if you do need to use it for storage day to day, make sure smaller items are in boxes that can easily be moved and be prepared to temporarily relocate your things when you have a guest. You don’t want friends and family to feel that they’re encroaching on your makeshift gym or staying in what’s effectively a large, fully stacked cupboard!
Here’s a run-down of what I think should be in a perfect guest bedroom:
The bed/s
You can't go wrong with crisp, white bed linen, then you can add colour with cushions and a bedspread or throw across the bottom of the bed.
Always allow two pillows per person - one softer and one firmer.
And it's also thoughtful to leave out some extra snuggly blankets and cosy throws in case your guest gets chilly.
Facilities, to make life easy for your guest
If you’re a woman, you’ve almost certainly been frustrated by hotel and guest rooms that just don’t work for you. Most of us require a well-lit area with a mirror, where we can empty out and apply our make-up, and a socket somewhere nearby so we can dry and style our hair.
So, have some form of dressing table – ideally in front of or near a window – with a decent-sized mirror, and make sure the overhead light is nice and bright.
Not having enough sockets in a room and, specifically, not having enough of them in the right place, is just irritating. As a minimum, I look for a double socket by the dressing table/mirror and one at each side of the bed, so if the room doesn’t have that, bring in an extension cable.
My own guest room | Credit: Houzz
Have bedside lamps - and if your guest is arriving in the evening, put the lamps on before they arrive.
Always give guests somewhere to hang their clothes, but it doesn’t have to be a wardrobe – they’re probably not staying that long! Either an over-door rack or a set of coat hooks is perfect, then just add some hangers.
Towel-wise, make sure there’s enough for body and hair for two guests, and a free-standing towel rack, ideally by a radiator. I provide four bath towels and four facecloths. If you want to go the extra mile, also provide at least one dressing gown / bath robe as they're unlikely to have packed one for a short visit.
Finally, don’t forget a bin!
Essentials that your guest might not have brought with them
They may have forgotten to pack something or perhaps they’re having a spontaneous sleepover, so always have a supply of essentials. I have an antique tea caddy that holds:

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Make-up remover
Ibuprofen/paracetamol
Cough lozenges
Rennie’s
Nail file
Ear plugs
Then I have a glass canister with cotton wool and cotton buds, and a bottle of body lotion.
You might want to provide more or less, but just think about what you might need yourself if you were caught on the hop. And if your guest room has its own bathroom, include shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Most supermarkets have a great selection of travel-sized basics at a very reasonable price.
Lastly, pop a hairdryer, a hot water bottle and a pair of pyjamas either in a drawer or a little basket.
Refreshments
If you have a small home or apartment (as I do) and the kitchen is just a couple of rooms away, then simply put out some bottled water and snack bars.
However, if you have a large house and the bedroom is quite a way from the kitchen, it’s considerate to provide a hot drinks tray with a kettle, two mugs/cups, a selection of tea, herbal infusions and coffee. Add a few biscuits, sugar and some UHT milk for back up – but a small cling-filmed jug of fresh milk on arrival is a nice touch, then they can always top that up from your kitchen.
Little finishing touches
Drinks coasters (to protect your furniture!)
Tissues on the bedside table
A notepad & pen
A plant and/or fresh flowers - a little posy of seasonal flowers from the garden is perfect
Books and/or magazines
A scented candle (& matches)
A side-chair
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