By Stephanie Dempsey
Provided by Tarot.com
Providing a comfortable guest room can make all the difference to a successful visit. The next time friends or family come to stay, check your guest room for the following touches. Adding these will make their stay more comfortable and your hosting duties much easier. It's a win-win situation!
Play Hot and Cold
Keep plenty of blankets and an oscillating fan in your guest room so that friends can easily adjust to plunging or soaring temperatures. It doesn't matter what month or season it is -- every climate has its aberrations and each individual has their quirks. By giving guests the option to pile on blankets or switch on a fan, you'll make them more comfortable.
Add Water and Stir
The last thing guests want is to fumble around a dark, unfamiliar house for a drink of water in the middle of the night. Putting a water carafe on the bedside table is a thoughtful gesture that won't be forgotten.
Clear Out Closets and Drawers
Homeowners often use the guest room closet and bureau as storage spaces for their own stuff. That's fine when the room isn't in use, but when you do have visitors, make sure to clear these spaces so that friends can put their own clothes in them. Don't forget to keep a generous supply of empty hangers in your guest room closet, too.
A Basket of Toiletries
Lots of times people forget essentials like toothbrushes, tampons, deodorant and combs when they pack for a trip. Having a supply of such things in your guest room can make the difference between an uncomfortable and a pleasant stay.
Place a Lamp within Arm's Reach of the Bed
Sleeping in an unfamiliar bed is always disorienting. Putting a lamp next to the bed will save your guest from having to fumble around in the dark for late night bathroom trips.
Noise Shakers
It's often difficult to fall asleep in a new place because of unfamiliar sounds. Placing a sound machine that replicates the sound of white noise or ocean waves can speed guests to Slumberland in a matter of minutes. It's also nice to put a box of earplugs in your guest room, just in case one of your visitors is extra sensitive to noise.
Rise and Shine
Placing an alarm clock in your guest room will give visitors the option of setting their own hours. Choose a model that doesn't tick and isn't highly illuminated. Place the instructions next to the clock to take the guesswork out of setting it.
Read All about It
Keep a supply of good reading material in your guest room. Think short, interesting material that can be easily digested before bed. A collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, The Book of Lists, Little House on the Prairie ... any of these are good choices for your guest room.
Snack Attack
Everybody's eating habits are different. Put a tray of foil-wrapped cookies, nuts, or dried fruit in your guest rooms so that visitors can nibble at their leisure.
Here Comes the Sun
Quite often guest rooms get too much or too little sun, but the host doesn't know it because they never sleep there. Try spending the night in your guest room to assess whether or not your guest rooms need heavier drapes or more lamps.
About the Author
Stephanie Dempsey is an accomplished author, Feng Shui practitioner and astrologer. She has contributed to several New Age titles, including "Your Birthday Sign through Time: A Chronicle of the Forces that Shape Your Destiny" and the upcoming "Love Signs and You: The Ultimate Astrological Guide to Love, Sex, and Relationships". She holds a degree in Feng Shui from the Mountain Institute of Tribeca in New York City.
