We just found out our first overnight guests will arrive at the end of the month, and right now our guest room looks like this:
Not acceptable — especially since the guests are my in-laws.
Sherry’s mom and stepdad are flying in from New York to spend time with baby Clara, so suddenly we have a firm deadline to make the guest room welcoming. Two weeks isn’t a lot of time to make this room everything we’d like it to be, but we’ve set a few practical goals to get it into decent shape quickly:
- Clear out all the clutter (we’ll finally confirm the Habitat for Humanity ReStore pickup and move remaining items into the playroom)
- Buy a mattress and box spring plus an inexpensive bed frame to use for now (we may build a custom frame later)
- Use bedding we already own to dress the bed
- Add bathroom basics like a shower curtain, towels, and a new toilet seat cover
Accomplishing those steps will at least make the room functional and comfortable. My worst-case scenario is asking Sherry’s elegant Italian parents to sleep on the fold-out couch in our office — a mental image I’m trying very hard to avoid. They’re far too refined to nap on a sofa surrounded by laptops in a room with no door, so we’re motivated to get the guest room ready.
Because we sometimes enjoy a challenge (and occasionally buckle under it), we also created a short “extra credit” list of improvements we’d love to tackle if time allows:
- Paint the room to give it a fresh, finished look
- Install curtains for privacy and a cozier feel
- Add a nightstand and a table lamp for convenience and atmosphere
We don’t realistically expect to finish every extra item before our guests arrive, but listing them gives us direction and a few stretch goals to aim for. Ideally the room will feel polished and comfortable when Nona and PopPop get here, but we know there’s a good chance they’ll be focused on spending time with Clara more than critiquing decor. Still, making the space presentable matters to us, and we want them to feel welcomed and at ease.
Our immediate plan is to prioritize the essentials: declutter and clean thoroughly, secure a proper mattress and basic bed frame, and outfit the bathroom with the necessities. Once those are done, we’ll see how much time is left for paint, curtains, and a bedside table. Even small touches like a fresh set of towels, a simple shower curtain, and neat bedding can make a world of difference for guests arriving after a long day of travel.
We’ll also try to be realistic about what’s achievable within the timeframe. Two weeks is short, but focusing on a clear checklist helps keep the project manageable. If we can clear the room and assemble a comfortable bed, that will be a major win. Any additional touches we complete will be a bonus that makes the room feel more like a proper guest space rather than a storage area.
So wish us luck as we race to transform this cluttered spare room into a welcoming guest bedroom. We’ll share updates on our progress and what we learned along the way — both the successes and the small mishaps. And on a related note, we announced this week’s giveaway winners on our site; check there if you’re curious to see the list.