I once read the best way to see if your guest room is truly ready for a visitor is to spend a few nights in it. Why? In theory you’d see what your visitor would experience during his or her stay. It’s a nice thought, but if you’re like me, you may not have an official guest room. The space might double as an office, family room, or living room. However, no matter where we have our guests rest their heads, we as hosts should do our best to make sure they’re comfortable during their stay (right?).

A friend told me her work space doubles as their guest room. To help off-set guests feeling like they’re intruding in her space, she makes sure the comforter and blanket on the bed are always clean and the sheets are crisp for a bit of unexpected luxury. Apparently when she was a teenager, she visited an aunt and the guest room had a beautiful white and silver duvet cover with a blanket neatly draped at the end of the bed, which made the room feel incredibly bright and inviting; and she loved it. She wanted to recreate that experience for her own guests. I’ll admit, this sounds so much better than sleeping in a bed that your host’s four-legged, furry friend usually sleeps on and you have a sneaking suspicion the blanket wasn’t washed before you arrived.

So, along with clean sheets (and clean blankets), here are a few suggestions to help your guests feel at home during a visit:

Clockwise from top left: Save the day with toiletry basics in case something was forgotten. {guest wooden toothbrushes} / Have a fan in the room to help block out other house noises. {fan} / A small tray on the dresser corrals loose change and jewelry. {peacock tray} / A summer-weight blanket is a great for a little extra warmth or a lighter layer for an afternoon nap. {linen-cotton blanket}

Clockwise from top left: A bedside lamp lets your guest easily turn off the light after reading in bed. {owl lamp} / A light-in-color, neutral comforter on the bed will help make the room feel clean and bright. {coverlet} / Lighten a parent’s load with a few tot-friendly items if you’re expecting a little visitor. {bath toy} / A bedside carafe – with a top that doubles as a cup – prevents a midnight trip to the kitchen. {bedside carafe}

I’m sure there are many other ideas for a great guest room. What do you do to help guests feel at home and have a restful visit?

top bedroom image via