How to Create the Ultimate Holiday-Ready Guest Bedroom

Whether you want to sleep right through it, or you’re counting down the days until Christmas, we will help you get your home ready for guests. With all the invites, gift-buying and festivities, it can be overwhelming. But don’t lose any sleep over it, we’ve got some top tips for hosts. Even if your spare room doubles as your storage and office, you can transform it into the ultimate holiday-ready guest room. You just need a few improvements, from decor they’ll adore, to wonderful winter warmers. 

Declutter and Deep Clean the Space

You don’t necessarily need to be a master in feng shui or an interior designer to prepare your guest room. Overspill of boxes, paperwork or clothing can easily be stored away in another room, clearing space in the wardrobe and drawers. There are clever ways to utilise a small space – such as storing items under the bed and fixing hooks for hanging items.

Follow the steps below to refresh the room.

• Dust with a microfibre cloth instead of a duster, because this just moves the dust around the room. A damp cloth helps remove stubborn dirt or sticky areas.
• Hoover the room in a technique of lines (as though you’re mowing the lawn), this way you shouldn’t leave any patches.
• Wash the windows on a cloudy day, as direct sunlight can cause streaks. Two microfibre cloths, one for washing and one for drying, are needed for the best cleaning. If you don’t have cleaning fluid, you can create your own mixture, with vinegar, washing-up liquid and warm water.
• Rotate your mattress, and if it’s memory foam, spot clean and put the cover in the washing machine. We have more tips on how best to clean a memory foam mattress here.
• Once your mattress is dry, add fresh bedding.
• Finish with a light fragrance (not an overpowering scent) by adding a diffuser or candle to the room. 

Build the Perfect Guest Bed Set-up

Mattress & Pillows

If you don’t want your aunt to complain that your bed dips in the middle, check your guest room mattress before they arrive. A mattress is costly to replace, so if it is sagging or has dents, a more affordable update is a topper. Give your tired mattress a boost with our Bamboo Memory Foam Topper. Created with our award-winning HydroFoam™ innovation – orthopaedic-grade memory foam infused with cooling gel capsules contours to the body and aligns the spine.

Provide two different types of pillows if possible, one that is soft, and a firm-medium pillow so you offer support to all sleeping types.

Cosy Bedding Layers

Choose natural and breathable sheets. It’s best to opt for bamboo or cotton fabric, as they’re also easy to care for. Our 100% Bamboo Bedding is hypoallergenic, feels luxuriously soft and helps to regulate your temperature. Add a warm duvet of a 10.5 TOG and extra blankets in case they sleep cold.

Nightstand Essentials

Treat your guest/s how you would expect to be treated. A jug of water with tumblers on the bedside table is a thoughtful touch and means they don’t have to ask you for a drink before they turn in. Other additions to their nightstand are a lamp, a box of tissues (in a tissue holder if you have the budget), a charger, a trinket dish, a box of chocolates and a notepad and pen.

Create a Festive but Calm Atmosphere

Colour Palette & Textiles

Green is a calming colour and is also part of the traditional festive palette. Our Signature+™ Bamboo Lyocell Bedding comes in earth-inspired Forest Green. Contrast the green bedding colourway with string lights and gold candles for a modern yet stylish interpretation of Christmas. However, you don’t want to clutter the room; make it peaceful and serene rather than overstimulating for your guests.

Give Your Guests Space to Unpack

Closet & Drawer Space

If your in-laws are staying more than one night (perhaps longer than you’d like), provide an empty wardrobe with hangers so they can hang their clothes. An empty drawer is also a good option if they need extra storage space. Leave a bag or basket in the room for their dirty laundry. There should also be enough space in the room for their luggage. Providing a full-length mirror is another delightful detail they’re sure to appreciate.

Set the Room Comfort Controls

Layered Lighting

See them lit up from inside when you introduce them to their room. It’s necessary for them to have an overhead light and a side light for reading, but nice-to-have extras are night lights or motion sensor lights. If your guest prefers the room to be pitch-black so they can sleep, you could add blackout curtains or blinds, along with a white noise machine. Our Bamboo Eye Masks would make a nice welcome gift on the pillow. Blocking out ambient light, they’re soft on skin, gentle and hypoallergenic.

Toiletries & Essentials

By leaving toiletries in their room, like fresh towels and mini toiletries, you give a hotel-style stay. Our Bamboo Towels are a spa-like luxury, wrapping up baths and showers with indulgent softness. They’re also quick-drying, odour-resistant and antibacterial.

Make sure your guests know how to work the bath or shower, and they know how to use your coffee machine. Top tip: do a tour of the house soon after they arrive. They’re likely to ask for your Wi-Fi password – a personal way to do this would be to put it on a handwritten note. You can also add to this any other information they may need to know during their stay.

Tailor the Room to Who’s Visiting

Over the festive season, you may accommodate different friends or family in the same room. Depending on the type of person you’re hosting, you’ll need to adapt your set-up. If you have a family staying, you’ll need to have space for a travel cot or an extra mattress. If it’s an elderly guest, make sure there’s no clutter in the room or any wires they can trip over. For older people, it’s helpful to have an extra blanket on hand so they can stay warm in bed. It helps if they have an easy-to-reach lamp in the room.

Final Holiday-Ready Checklist

Below is an easy checklist of all you’ll need for your guests before they arrive. Tick them off as you complete them.

• Fresh sheets, pillows, and towels
• Empty hangers and drawer space
• Nightstand stocked (water, charging cable, tissues)
• Wi-Fi password visible
• The room is clean and dust-free
• Holiday decor set but not cluttered
• Welcome tray prepared
• Temperature comfortable

Conclusion

Hosting can be hard, especially during the holiday period, so make sure you look after yourself and get the rest you need. On the plus side, it’s a perfect excuse to give your guest room a much-needed glow-up. Once you’ve de-cluttered and put away all the stuff you don’t need when guests are staying, you have space to be creative. Be the host with the most with unexpected extras: blissful bamboo bedding, relaxing scents and thoughtful details. You can create a mini retreat for family and loved ones, so they feel welcome and cherished. Happy holidays, everyone!