The holiday season is right around the corner, and if you’re planning to host friends and family this year, now is the time to start getting your guest rooms ready. If you’ve ever stayed in someone’s home, you know how much the accommodations can affect the overall experience.
When it comes to both the guest bathroom and guest bedroom, there are a few steps you can take this year to treat your guests and help create a soothing, comfortable, and welcoming environment for the festivities.
How to Prepare the Guest Bathroom
The secret to being a good host is the ability to anticipate your guests’ needs. Nowhere is this more important than in the guest bathroom. Traveling can be stressful for some, and providing access to a private guest bathroom that contains everything the guest might need during their stay is one way to alleviate any anxiety.
In addition to the basics like toilet paper, towels, and hand soap, it’s a good idea to provide items that your guest might not feel comfortable asking for, like feminine hygiene products, over-the-counter painkillers, or a plunger. Extra toilet paper is also essential.
You can even offer a boutique hotel experience by providing shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion. While most people bring their own toiletries when they travel, it’s nice to feel taken care of when you stay in someone else’s home. And if one of your guests accidentally forgot an essential item, the replacement will be immediately at hand.
Don’t forget to think about the aesthetics of the bathroom as well. A clean, organized space is vital for a pleasant experience. Consider getting a matching jars to hold cotton swabs, cotton balls, and sanitary napkins or a basket set for extra hand towels and washcloths.
You can make sure the extra toilet paper is easy to find by stacking the rolls in a tray on the back of the toilet, adding a standing holder that also contains roll storage, or installing a double toilet paper holder. To keep things organized, make sure the bathroom has towel racks or a clothes hamper to store the used bath towels.
Guest Bathroom Checklist
- Toilet paper
- Hand soap
- Cotton swabs, cotton balls, feminine hygiene products
- Towels (bath, hand, washcloths)
- Basic first aid (bandaids, over-the-counter painkillers, tweezers)
- Plunger
- Shampoo, shower gel, lotion
- Air freshener or scented candle
- Tissues
- Trash can
- Bath mat
Simple Bathroom Upgrades that Will Wow Your Guests
If you want to provide a truly superior experience, you can choose to install a few next level upgrades:
1. Add a Vanity Organizer or Medicine Cabinet
Provide plenty of storage for your guests and organize the complimentary amenities with a medicine cabinet or vanity organizer. These installations keep the bathroom clean while adding a touch of sophistication to the room’s decor.
The Kohler Verdera Mirrored Medicine Cabinet offers excellent storage for a clutter-free guest bathroom.
2. Provide Adequate Task Lighting
If the light fixtures are several decades old, they probably aren’t energy efficient or very bright. Everyone appreciates adequate lighting when getting ready in the morning, and you get the double benefits of introducing stylish new fixtures and saving money on electricity costs.
You can even go further by adding different types of lighting in different parts of the bathroom and controlled by individual light switches or dimmers, like a light directly over the shower or an LED lighted mirror.
3. Install a Bidet
Bidets are common throughout Europe and they are starting to gain popularity in America. Installing one on your toilet immediately elevates the room, and many people find them both more sanitary and more pleasant. You can go with a basic option like the Brondell FreshSpa Bidet or opt for sleek, multi-functional option like the Toto Washlet C2 electronic bidet seat.
The Toto Washlet C2 is an easy, affordable way to impress your guests and introduce smart toilet technology to your home.
Elevate your guest bathroom with the refreshingly modern and sophisticated Kohler Katalyst Showerhead.
5. Replace Old Hardware
Replacing the door handles, drawer pulls, towel rings, robe hooks, and toilet paper roll holders with new hardware is an easy and inexpensive fix that makes a big impact. Delight your guests with an elegant new style and contribute to the overall aesthetics of the room.
How to Prepare the Guest Bedroom
The only furniture a guest bedroom needs is a bed, a clothes storage solution (either a dresser or wardrobe), and one or two nightstands. While it’s impossible to choose a mattress that will match what every guest has at home, a relatively new mattress of medium firmness will suit most people.
If the room has a closet, provide hangers for your guests to use during their stay. If the room doesn’t have a closet, consider getting a clothing rack as an alternative.
Beyond those essentials, some hosts like to include a television in the bedroom, a chest or basket to hold extra blankets, and a fan in case the room gets warm. Like with the bathroom, think about what features you can include that will anticipate your guests’ needs.
An alarm clock will probably be appreciated if that’s what your guest uses at home, light-blocking curtains will keep the room dark at night, and a bedside lamp adds ambiance and prevents your guest from having to get from the main light switch to the bed in the dark.
Guest Bedroom Checklist
- Clean sheets
- Two pillows for each person
- A light comforter with additional heavier blankets
- Fan
- Trash can
- Heavy curtains
- Hangers
- Hanging shoe organizer
- Lamp
- Alarm
- Extra phone chargers
- Remote with charged batteries (if you have a guest television)
- Contact paper for the dresser drawers
Simple Bedroom Upgrades that Will Wow Your Guests
Like with the bathroom, you might want to take your guest bedroom to the next level, especially if you have frequent or long-term visitors:
1. Improve Closet Storage
No one likes living out of a suitcase, particularly if their clothes are prone to wrinkling. Having the option to hang up everything in the closet will be greatly appreciated. Because the closet is so important, you might want to upgrade your current setup and closet organization in a way that improves its practicality and look.
Additional extendable rods will help you make the best use of the space—which is even more important if the closet is small—and installations like a pant rack will help your guests stay more organized. A pull-down closet rod is another useful feature that increases accessibility while also saving space.
A valet rod is a great way to make the most of even a small closet for your guests.
3. Add a Cosy Area Rug
Most guest rooms tend to be sedate when it comes to the decor because you don’t want to overwhelm your guests, but a new rug enlivens the room while serving a practical purpose. A large rug, maybe placed underneath the bed, can help the room feel bigger, and a thick plush rug helps the room seem warmer and cozier.
An area rug like the Four Hands Pyla rug can add more personality and warmth to the average guest bedroom.
General Hosting Etiquette & Tips
A truly great host goes above and beyond for their guests—but you don’t have to dedicate an inordinate amount of energy to make them feel comfortable. There are a few small actions you can take after your guests arrive that will make a huge difference and create a happier atmosphere for the entire stay:
- Show your guests how to turn on the shower or bath, especially if you have newer fixtures that may not be intuitive. Figuring out an unfamiliar shower can often be a tricky experience.
- Let your guests know where to find snacks and dishes if they get hungry between meals.
- Demonstrate how to use the washer and dryer if your guests want to wash their clothes.
- Inform them of your general schedule so they know when to join you for meals and know where to find you when they need you.
- Let your guests know it’s all right to open the windows if they need more air flow.
- Arrange your living room to accommodate guests and facilitate conversation.
Most importantly, always make sure the bedroom and bathroom are clean and well stocked before your guests arrive, with a made bed and empty trash cans. Consider opening the windows or running the fan before they come in, especially if the room hasn’t been used in a while.
A pleasant-smelling air freshener will also make the room more welcoming, but be careful to not choose a scent that is too strong or overpowering.
The Vevano collection includes many pieces of furniture, fixtures, and accessories that will help you take your hosting to the next level. Browse our products to find styles that work for you.