Guest room essentials

Start with a comfortable bed made with crisp sheets, a spare set in the closet, two pillow options (one soft, one firm), and a folded extra blanket at the foot. Put a power strip with USB-A and USB-C on each bedside and leave spare Lightning/USB-C/micro-USB cables, plus a printed card with the Wi-Fi network and password on the nightstand. Add a good bedside lamp, a small clock, and a motion-sensor nightlight so guests can find the bathroom in the dark without fumbling. Give them room to unpack: a luggage rack or sturdy bench, some empty drawers, 6 to 8 hangers, a full-length mirror behind the door, and a small trash can with tissues within reach. Blackout curtains or an eye mask help with jet lag, and a small fan or space heater plus an extra throw lets them control temperature and white noise.

In the bathroom, set out two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths per guest, a dark makeup towel, and full-size shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

Include toothpaste, new toothbrushes, a disposable razor, cotton swabs, feminine products, a hair dryer, and a plunger tucked discreetly nearby. A carafe of water with glasses, a few snacks like fruit or granola bars, and a simple coffee or tea setup with an electric kettle make mornings easy. Leave a small info card with thermostat and TV instructions, shower quirks, where extra toilet paper and towels live, your contact number, quiet hours, Wi-Fi again, and how to handle trash or used linens. Nice-to-haves are a white noise machine, a basic first-aid kit, sealed in-date OTC pain relievers if you choose to offer them, a hamper or laundry bag, fragrance-free detergent on the sheets for allergy-sensitive guests, and a spare key or door code if they will come and go.

Don't buy subscription scent diffusers or "smart" locks that need monthly fees; you'll hate them by month three. A $15 mechanical keypad deadbolt and a metal doorstop do the job. Power strip with actual surge protection and two cheap braided cables (USB‑C and Lightning) covers most guests. Print the Wi‑Fi name/password as a QR and tape it under the lamp; no app needed.

Blackout fix for cheap: spring‑loaded curtain rod with a thrifted panel, plus clothespins. Luggage rack is just two stools with a webbing strap if you have tools. White noise? An old phone in airplane mode looping a downloaded track.

Toiletries live in refillable pump bottles so you're not buying tiny hotel junk. I keep a labeled bin with spare toothbrushes, razors, earplugs, and a tiny sewing kit; all dollar‑store. A small clip‑on USB light makes a perfect nightlight. And leave a pencil note card with "coffee: 1 scoop per cup" taped inside the cabinet so no one wakes you for instructions.

Fresh sheets and two pillow options. Idk, this worked for me: a bedside lamp, water carafe, and a printed Wi‑Fi card. Power strip with USB ports. One empty drawer and a few hangers. Towel set per person laid out on the bed.

Universal outlet, spare chargers, Wi‑Fi card, earplugs, small safe. For what it's worth, taking a few minutes to practice this in a calm setting usually helps it stick.

Decent lamp at eye level saves everyone from overhead prison lighting. Neutral bedding beats wild patterns in the morning photos your mom will take. A small mirror and a clear charging spot keep the cables from looking like spaghetti on the nightstand.

Search stickied megathread; covered weekly. For what it's worth, taking a few minutes to practice this in a calm setting usually helps it stick.

Beds made tight; two pillow types; extra blanket within reach. Clear Wi‑Fi card on the nightstand. Power strip with USB‑C and Lightning; a cheap spare charger so no one raids my kid's. Nightlight and blackout curtains; people sleep better. Same setup at my ex's place so the kids don't relearn a new system each week. Hooks on the back of the door and a visible hamper so laundry doesn't wander. Set out towel and washcloth per person; put toiletries in a small clear bin with labeled spares (toothbrush, paste, razor).

Water carafe and a snack bar—just granola and nuts—because midnight rummaging wakes the house. Printed "how to" for coffee and thermostat. If there are kids: step stool, plastic cup, simple books. Keep meds high and a small first‑aid kit in the room. Finally, empty one drawer and some closet space; guests need somewhere to land their stuff.

I keep a "guest basket" I can grab: towels, spare toothbrushes, sample toiletries, chargers, earplugs, laminated Wi‑Fi card. Hooks on the door and a big obvious hamper so clothes don't migrate. I put a snack and water on the nightstand ahead of time because if I leave it for later, I forget. A cheap sound machine stops my brain from clocking every floorboard at 2 a.m. Last thing is a reset timer on my phone for checkout: 15 minutes to strip bed, empty trash, restock the basket.

Keep it simple: quiet, clean, comfortable. Bed, lamp, water, towel, outlet access. Empty surfaces matter more than gadgets.

Essentials? Earplugs for me when your cousin decides 1 a.m. is the perfect time to unpack their life story. Maybe a map to the dishwasher so the mysterious pile of cups stops breeding in the sink. Oh, and a trophy for whoever can turn off the bathroom light after they use it.

I'll also prepare the sacred ritual of "finding the Wi‑Fi" where they stare at the router like it's a riddle from a sphinx. And of course a ceremonial towel that will migrate to the floor like it's trying to find freedom. Bonus points if they ask where the trash goes while standing next to the bin.

Anyway, I'll be in my room pretending not to hear the suitcase wheels doing laps at dawn. If they find the thermostat, we all lose.

Once forgot towels; my aunt dried off with a shirt.