How to update and convert your guest room into a multipurpose space.
A little over a year ago our oldest son moved out. Our youngest son took his room and that left one bedroom vacant. For months now I have been going back and forth trying to decide what I wanted to do with this room. Since we often have family stay with us for overnight visits, we decided to make it an additional guest room.
We started by selling the old furniture in the spare room followed by a fresh coat of paint. I determined the pieces I would keep in the room to use for storage and for the convenience of my guests. It was important that I have storage for a large collection of Lego pieces to save for possible grandchildren (one day) and for young guests to play with when visiting. I also needed the space in the guest closet to become my gift storage closet. I have to trust that my guests won’t venture into the closet or maybe a “no peeking” sign would solve that problem!
The truth is, I want the room to function as a clutter-free, beautiful guest room, but also be available for my personal projects as well.
Once the decision was made, I took measurements of the room and matched them to new furnishings I found online at IKEA. I would recommend using free online planning tools such as; UrbanBarn.com and Bob’s Room Planner. These programs are able to give you an extremely useful view of your furnished room.
The next step was to purchase and build the new furniture. I usually select items that will serve both the function I desire and a style I like. For this room I purchased four long, stylish mirrors that will function as a full-length mirror and also act as a decorative element. I also purchased one of my favorite storage pieces from IKEA called the Expedit. This piece of furniture is versatile and adds value to any room from mudroom to bedroom. I bought the 16 cuber Expedit to house our book collection. Each cube could hold a different genre of books, and by using collapsible IKEA baskets, the other cubes could contain items that are better hidden, such as guest’s clothing.
The 16 cuber also allows for usable storage on the top of the unit for a lamp, picture frame, or loose guest items like keys and change. Be sure to choose furniture that functions for your guest and also year-round usage for personal items and projects. Spend some time before your first guests arrive making sure the room has what they need. It’s the small details, like offering them a house key, that make their visit a success.
Finally to make my guest feel special I leave out a basket filled with those extra hotel shampoos, soaps, and lotions that my husband brings home from business trips. I also add a stylish serving tray containing individually wrapped snacks, fruit, and some bottled water. Your guest may feel uncomfortable going through your pantry looking for a snack in-between meals or late at night, so this is a low cost, easy way to show them you care.
As you can see from the before and after photo’s the room is coming along but there are still some finishing touches to make my new guest room ready for my Christmas guests, but it will be organized, accessorized, and finished before they arrive.
Lorraine Brock is a professional organizer, family coach, speaker, and founder and owner of Get Organized! Get Organized! is a professional organizing company in the Dallas, Texas area. Get Organized! specializes in organizing and de-cluttering homes as well as implementing systems in the home for better family management. A popular media guest, Lorraine has appeared on Dallas’ two top morning television shows: Good Morning Texas and Good Day Fox, and has been featured on various radio outlets. She has been hallmarked in many local, regional, and national print and online magazines, such as the Dallas Morning News, The North Texas Kids Magazine, SheKnows.com, and Daily Candy Kids. To get more information about Lorraine, visit www.GetOrganized.ws.
