Create A Cozy Guest Area…For Less

Expecting overnight guests sometime in the future? You can create a welcoming space for them easily and affordably whether they’ll be sleeping in the kid’s room or a designated guest room. Just by adding a few little touches, your guests will know you want them to feel special.

We have four bedrooms in our home and we use them for an office, my “closet,” our bedroom and a room for the grandsons. We don’t have overnight guests that often, except for the grandsons, so I don’t really keep a special “guest room.”

We were recently expecting company from out-of-town so I wanted to create some space for them that was cozy and comfortable without spending a lot of money because quite frankly, as I said, we don’t have overnight guests that often. I found almost all of these items at my local Discover Goodwill but you can find deals like these at most any thrift/nonprofit store.

Here’s a few things to consider when you’re having overnight guests…

• Clear any clutter where your guests will be sleeping, whether it’s a guest room, the living room, or one of the kid’s rooms. Laundry baskets or containers with lids will make it easy to remove and store it in another area.

• Keep some open space on the floor and counters so your guests can have a place to put their shoes, jewelry, etc. Extra space in the closet is nice so clothes don’t get wrinkled and make sure to add a few empty hangers they can use.

• Provide extra blankets and let guests know which towels to use.

• Of course you want clean sheets! I picked up a few standard bed pillows at Walmart for $5.88 because our extras were looking pretty ragged.

• Check light bulbs and the batteries in any remotes they might be using. Have some empty electrical sockets available so they can recharge devices easily.

• Have extra toilet paper in plain sight so they don’t have to hunt or ask for it.

• Give your guests an extra key, alarm code, etc., so they can come and go as they want.

Here’s a few of the extra touches I added to make our guests feel welcome…

Fresh flowers just seem to make everything a bit brighter. And you certainly don’t need a huge or expensive arrangement. Just a little something that lets your guests know they are special. I picked up this vase for 49 cents at Discover Goodwill and picked the flowers from our garden.

Sure you can give your guests a water bottle at night or point them in the direction of the kitchen and tell them to help themselves before bed but look how cute and easy this little arrangement is. I found all of this at Goodwill and I didn’t spend much to let my guests know I’m thinking of them. The tray was $2.99, the carafe was 99 cents (you can add water when they arrive and replenish in the evening,) the glasses were 49 cents each and the basket was 59 cents. It’s just nice to have something to drink and a few snacks available so your guests don’t have to worry about waking you in the middle of the night or stumbling around in the dark.

If your guests are coffee or tea drinkers you can place a small coffee pot (or standard size) in the room along with coffee, tea, filters, cups, etc. If they are like me, I don’t want to talk to anyone (or be seen,) until I’ve had that first cup! Coffee pot $3.99 and cups 59 cents each at Goodwill.

I picked this table up at Goodwill for $5.00 (it’s one of those wood tables with the screw-in legs so it’s easy to take apart and store,) and the tablecloth for $1.99.

Because our guests would be hiking and taking in some of the beautiful scenery around here, including our backyard and all the wildlife, I put out some inexpensive binoculars we already had.

I added a few fun “throw-back” photos….tons of frames for dirt cheap at Goodwill.

Extra blankets are a nice touch. I picked this up for $4.99 at Goodwill (you do always want to wash clothing and linens when you get them home from thrift stores or garage sales before using).

An assortment of city information magazines and city guides are something you can pick up for free and have ready and waiting for your guests. And if you have a TV and remote available for your guests, clean the remote and disinfect it.

We always pick up a book when visiting attractions, so I added those for some bedtime reading.

It’s very dry here in Colorado so a little container of lotion is a nice touch. A new tube of lip balm would be thoughtful too.

We store toys in the closet but it didn’t take much effort to clear out some space the guests can use. I put the toys in a couple of big bins with a lid, which made it easy to store in another area. Add a few hangers and even a couple of robes if you have extras (or pick them up at a thrift store.)

Ok, I am “that person” who takes all the extra toiletries hotels offer when we travel. And chances are, your guests will have their own but it’s a nice touch. You can also pick up travel-size products at the stores. Set out a few “designated” towels for guests too so they don’t have to search through closets or cabinets.

I found this basket at Goodwill for $1.49 and the blow dryer for $3.99.

A little notepad and pen for notes they might want to take…I found these at the Dollar Tree.

An assortment of movies ($3.99 each at Goodwill).

And if you’re guests drink wine…I found all of these items for 50% off at Goodwill the day I shopped (make sure to check the color of the day for additional savings when shopping there). The tray was $1.99, wine glasses 49 cents each, glass bowl 29 cents, and the wine opener was 49 cents.

Just a few ideas you can easily duplicate to make your overnight guests feel a bit more pampered without a lot of effort or expense.