Trying Out the Guest Room

My husband and I started giving up our room to our parents this year. The choice has been a practical one for us as well as a tangible way to express our love for them. It unexpectedly taught us a great deal about what our other guests experience when they stay with us. If your guests stay in a common area, or if they use a room that is dedicated for other purposes most of the time, here are some ways you might bless your company.

Make clear spaces for their clothing. My parents were with us for 10 days, during that time we went about our usual family schedule and needed to be dressed for a wide variety of activities. We took over space in the coat closet to avoid either popping in and out of their room in the morning (awkward!) or draping pressed clothing over couches and chairs. I cleared off my sewing table to make space for our folded clothing. Though we had good intentions of keeping that table tidy and ordered, we found that folded fabric is generally non-compliant.

To solve the unsightly problem, I brought in a large basket to hold our folded clothes. It got messy still, but it was effective containment and a good visual block for the ugly situation inside.

Though we knew we should march down the hall to the bathroom hamper to dump in our dirty clothes, sometimes the urge to dump our stinky sweatshirts right next to us is too strong to resist. A dirty clothes hamper was needed under that sewing table.

Your guest also needs a clear understanding of where they can put their toiletries. If possible, provide them with a basket and part of a cabinet or shelf. When we moved into our children’s bathroom, we brought in not only our travel bag of toiletries, but also a basket for other odds and ends. The extra space and organization helped us in our morning and night time routines.

Sharing a bathroom with three children is a character building experience. I’m sure you gave that bathroom a good scrubbing before your guests arrived, but if they are sharing with your children, you need to give that room another go-over every two to three days. It’s not just about keeping it stocked with toilet paper! There are mystery smells that will disquiet the mind of any guest who uses the children’s bathroom. They certainly made a dent in my psyche.

The last nugget of information that using our guest space gave us, was a good understanding of the quality of our guest bed. I’m relieved to say, it’s not that bad. I need to give my guests more blankets, because that room cools down quite a bit. And I need to provide extra pillows, because the head of the bed is a touch low. Good things to know. If you haven’t slept on your guest mattress lately, give it a try. It’s a fun and safe adventure in your own home. If it’s an adventure you’d never want to repeat, then you need to get rid of that bed!