Make Your Kid’s Room the Perfect Retreat for House Guests!
I could feel my heart start to race! My best friend was coming to stay with us for a few nights and I had no idea where I would put her. We don’t have a guest room, just two little boy’s rooms that are not guest-ready. So I took some deep breaths and thought about how to prep a guest room.
I turned my kid’s room into a relaxing retreat for our overnight guest! It was easier than I thought it would be to create a cozy space for her!
This post is sponsored by Boiron® and PTPA. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.
When we were younger and had guests, no one cared if they had to sleep on the couch. But as we all got older, I’m noticing that we all started to have a certain expectation of comfort.
And as everyone started having kids, our overnight guests became more infrequent. So not having a legitimate guest room isn’t too big of an issue.
But when my best friend said she was coming out to visit me for a few nights this summer, I was SO excited. And nervous. While we try to see each other at least once a year, life often gets in the way. So I wanted to make her time with my family as comfortable and as fun as possible.
I knew she wouldn’t be expecting a hotel level situation but I certainly wanted to give her a clean, comfortable space that would feel like a relaxing retreat.
How to Prep Your Kid’s Room as a Guest Room
My youngest son has a daybed and trundle which was ideal for the boys to share. My oldest son had no problem sharing his room with our guest. But he’s 13 and his room reflects that.
Turning a kid’s room into a guest room isn’t hard, it just takes some thought. I wanted to make the room feel welcoming and cozy and give her a place that was all hers during her visit.
And I think I was able to do this with the following special touches and homeopathic medicines I set out for her in case she needed them!
Use What You Have
My son’s furniture was handed down to him and while I would love to replace it, I don’t want to/can’t spend money on a whole new set. So while the raised bed isn’t ideal for my short friend, we just had to make it work.
Don’t feel obligated to go out and spend a lot of money on new things for your guest. They aren’t expecting you to redo the room. So don’t let yourself get crazy with this process!
Clean It Up
First and foremost, I knew we needed to get rid of clutter and clean the space from top to bottom. As you can imagine, a 13-year-old boy’s room wasn’t guest-ready without a little work.
We cleared off his desk and dresser to make sure our guest had places to put her own things. Getting rid of the clutter also instantly made the space feel calmer.
Pay Attention to the Bed
A guest room is just a space to put your things, really. But you certainly want them to have a good night’s sleep. I put on fresh sheets and added a few layers with some extra blankets. Layering not only makes it look cozy, but gives them options for different temperatures (our air conditioning is very inconsistent throughout the house).
There is also nothing worse than not having enough pillows so I made sure to put a few on the bed and let her know there were more if she needed them.
Ultimately, you want the bed to look really inviting!
Add Little Touches
My bestie and I always have ice cold water with us wherever we go. So I got her a new insulated water cup (especially since I knew she had to fly and probably wouldn’t have her own cup with her). I also set out some linen spray to help make the room feel less “teenage boy”.
When you prep a guest room, you don’t have to buy new items! You just need to have special touches available for your visitor.
Use your Scents
I wanted the room to feel like a home away from home. So I moved in one of my essential oil diffusers and a small collection of oils for her to use. I ran it for a few minutes before she got there to give the room a wonderful lavender scent. She was free to use the diffuser if she wanted or if there were some ambient scents lingering.
Pampering Odds and Ends
I knew my friend would probably have everything that she needed with her, but I also wanted to leave out a few things in case she needed or wanted to use them. I grabbed a microfiber hair towel that helps to soak up the water after a shower and some toiletries, like dry shampoo, that might make her primping a little bit easier.
Special Touches
I brought in a few candles to make the room feel a little bit more feminine. And I printed out a photo of her with her mom, and their beloved dogs, to make the space feel a little bit more personal. She LOVED this and it didn’t take much time at all to do.
Add Some Greenery
Flowers are so pretty but the water can turn sour-smelling if you don’t change it often enough. She and I are also both highly allergic to environmental things so flowers might have ended up irritating her. Instead, I added in a few succulents. They are easy to take care of and a great way to add a little life to a guest room.
Personal Note
Your guest might feel like a burden for displacing one of your family members. I made sure to write her a note letting her know how excited we were to have her. And I had my sons write little notes as well so that she knew they were on board with sharing a room.
Snacks
While we would basically be together at all times, I still wanted to add in a few treats and snacks in case she wanted a little bite after I’d gone to bed. I found some easy, travel-sized things like a nut mix and some gummy candies. And for an added surprise, we picked up some Texas BBQ flavored crickets! (She is from Texas and I also wanted to share what life is like living with boys).
She was a great sport and tried one!
Homeopathic Medicines to Keep Her Comfortable
Because we are so close, I know that she wouldn’t hesitate to ask me for medicines if she needed them. But I like to put Boiron® Acidil® and Gasalia® in the room so she never even has to ask!
We love trying new restaurants when we’re together. We usually order several items and share them so we can try more things. And we tend to be drawn to really rich things like pretzels with cheese dip or Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip. Needless to say sometimes, we don’t end up feeling great.
So knowing she has Acidil and Gasalia makes me (and her!) feel better.
Boiron® is the leader in homeopathic medicine and offer a better choice for digestive issues. My best friend and I are very open with each other and talk about these types of things. Digestive problems happen to everyone and are often caused by a combination of stress and poor diet.
From my experience, travel exacerbates things even more! So while I consider Gasalia and Acidil to be travel essentials, I wanted to make sure to have them ready for my overnight guest.
These are the homeopathic medicines I turn to when I have gas or indigestion:
Acidil – For adults and children 12+
- Temporarily relieves heartburn, acid indigestion, bloating and upset stomach.*
- There are no restrictions on when you can take Acidil meaning it can be used before or after a meal and taken on a full or empty stomach.
- It has no known drug interactions and doesn’t hamper the absorption of other medications or nutrients.
- It does not contain ingredients usually found in antacids that can cause constipation and diarrhea.
Gasalia– For adults and children 6+
- Temporarily relieves bloating, pressure, discomfort and pain associated with gas.*
- There are no restrictions on when you can take Gasalia® meaning you can take it before or after a meal and on a full or empty stomach.
- There are no known drug interactions and won’t interfere with the absorption of micronutrients and other medications.
Head to Walmart or your local natural products chains, for these awesome products.
These are always something I will include when preparing for an overnight guest!
These easy to use medicines come in a box with 3 sheets, each holding 20 tablets. The packaging is super user-friendly and you simply punch the tablet through the foil backing.
Both Acidil and Gasalia tablets are quick-dissolving and unflavored. Simply melt them under your tongue for a super easy and discreet way to handle your issues.
They don’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.
*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.
Other Things to Consider for Your Guest’s Stay
- Try to anticipate their needs and be ahead of them (for example, layout a set of clean towels in the room so they don’t have to ask).
- Stock up on things like extra toilet paper and make sure the guest knows where it is (under the sink is usually a safe place to store it and also the first place people would think to look).
- If your child’s bed isn’t big enough or you have more than one guest, buy or borrow an air mattress ahead of time. Not having the sleeping situation sorted out before the guest gets there would be very stressful.
- Have the Wi-Fi information printed out so the guest can easily utilize it.
- Have a phone charger waiting for them in the bedroom. Chances are they have their own with them, but not having to search for it is a nice touch.
- If you know your guest well, have some of their favorite foods on hand, especially for breakfast.
Pin these Guest Room Prep Ideas for Later
Making your kid’s room feel homey and inviting for your overnight guests isn’t difficult and can really turn out to be a relaxing retreat for your visitor! With some thoughtful details and a few helpful homeopathic medicines, your guest will thoroughly enjoy their stay!