Now that students are back on college campuses and making homes for themselves in dorm rooms and apartments, you might be thinking of what to do with the extra bedroom space. If you’re not ready to completely toss your little birds out of their original nests, use these tips for creating a temporary guest room space in your child’s room.
Clear out the Closet
If you can’t store extra items in a basement, attic, or spare closet (what a great time to purge & donate!), push items as far to one side as possible—leaving room for your guests to hangup their clothing if needed. Purchase some nice hangers (like these) to make your guests feel even more welcome. Do the same for your dresser, leaving at least one drawer for your guests to use.
Re-set the Nightstand
Remove any “kid items” that might have been left behind and replace with guest necessities such as a nice alarm clock, some tissues, a glass for water, and perhaps a good book for them to read. We also encourage you to get a small vase with fresh flowers right before guests arrive.
Add a Luggage Rack
We love this idea from Becky at Organizing Made Fun: “I have a luggage rack that I purchased at a thrift store for $5 and I use it at the end of the bed.” You can also use a bench or extra chair—just any place where guests can sit down their suitcase to unpack.
Offer Guest Amenities
We all love those little shampoos and soaps found in hotel bathrooms—why not create a basket of those goodies for your guests? In addition to beauty staples, be sure to add toothpaste, a toothbrush, a wash cloth and towel. We suggest just picking up these small items while you are shopping and store them in your linen closet.
If you will be having multiple guests, consider adding an additional sleeping area—such as an air mattress you can keep underneath the bed or a small piece of furniture that turns into a bed like this one from Walmart.
Need help clearing out the kid-clutter? Give us a call and we can help you get organized and clean.
Talk to us: What are you doing with your child’s bedroom space while he or she is away at school?