Tip Tuesday: How to organize a guest bedroom

As a Boston-based professional organizer, many of my clients have friends and family from out of state visit New England in the summer. After all, Boston and surrounding areas are so picturesque. It’s hard to beat New England as a summer vacation spot. Have you looked at your guest bedroom space lately? With Memorial Day approaching, here are a couple of suggestions to make it feel comfortable and yet functional.

1. Drawer space – Make sure you have designated drawer space for your guests. If you have a bureau in the guest bedroom, empty a few drawers for your guests clothing. Guests will feel more at home, and enjoy not having to live out of their suitcases.

2. Closets and wrinkle releaser – Nothing is worse than having wrinkled clothes because you aren’t able to hang up your items before you have to wear them. I love having a spray bottle of wrinkle releaser for those occasions when I need to wear something but don’t have time (or desire) to iron. It magically takes away wrinkles (just test spray it on a hidden spot to make sure it won’t stain your item). Your guests will thank you when they see proper hanging space, hangers, and a bottle of wrinkle releaser.

3. Toiletries – Hotels have the basic necessities in their bathrooms, and it’s a nice touch when your guest bathroom has the same. Toiletries to consider include shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, body cream, and other items you know your guests typically forget. Having these already out in the bathroom will also mitigate having to crawl out of bed to hunt for these items. One simple trick is taking a clear glass container with a lid, and filling it with sample size toiletries. Place this in the bathroom or in the guest room. When your guests see this container they’ll know they have access to those items.

4. Suitcase rack – Some guests may prefer to not unpack and need a spot for their open suitcase to sit. As suitcase racks fold, it is not a big burden to have them available for guests. When not in use, you can tuck these in your closet or under the bed.

5. Good reading light – I love to read before I go to sleep. Having a bedside table lamp is such a gift to me when I am traveling. Nothing feels worse than having the only light source as an overhead light. Even if you have a floor lamp near the bed, that will allow the person to turn the light off without having to get up out of bed and turn off the overhead light.

Do you have any tips for making a guest bedroom feel more comfortable and functional? If so, I’d love to see your tips below!

Photo: Sarah Jayne Photography