Generally speaking, there are few things Pinoys love more than having guests over. The value of hospitality is so deeply ingrained in our culture that it may feel like second nature to you to have visiting friends and family members stay at your place whenever they come to town. But what if you live in a small apartment or just don’t have a dedicated guest bedroom? Is it still feasible to accommodate overnight guests when you’re low on space or missing a guestroom?
6 Ways to Host Your Guests Without a Guestroom
The good news is that, with a little creativity and careful preparation, it’s entirely possible to host overnight visitors even if you don’t have a separate room for them. Following these helpful tips will ensure that your guests still feel comfortable and at home when they come to pay you a visit.
Invest in Multifunctional Furniture
You can choose from a wide array of multi-functional furniture pieces to serve as comfortable alternatives to a guest bed. If you’re lucky, you may even be able to snap up secondhand furniture in top condition from a garage sale, a specialty shop, or your favorite online marketplace. Use one of the following items to transform your sala into a makeshift sleeping space:
- Sofa Bed – These days, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding an attractive and comfortable sleeper sofa or sofa bed for sale with a high-quality mattress. A sofa bed will look and feel like a conventional couch at first glance, with thick, fully upholstered cushions and armrests. However, its main selling point is that it can unfold into a bed when needed. It comes in a variety of sizes, much like a mattress or a bed—from twin to king size. Depending on the design, you can transform the sofa bed in a variety of ways, such as the simple pull-out and lift-up, the 3-fold roll-out, and the A-frame sofa beds.
- Futon – Though many sellers use the term “futon” interchangeably with “sofa bed,” these two furniture pieces are, in fact, slightly different. While sofa beds have separate mattresses that unfold out from under the top cushions, a futon’s single large cushion serves as both a sofa and a mattress. This cushion is usually folded up against the futon’s wooden or metal frame during the day, creating a low couch for sitting. Unfolding and flattening out the futon turns it into a bed easily.
- Daybed – A daybed is another multifunctional furniture item that’s perfect for both lounging and sleeping. Typical daybeds come with twin-size mattresses that are framed on three sides of the bed, though they come in just about every shape and size you can imagine nowadays. Some daybeds even have trundle beds beneath them that you can roll out—a perfect option if you need as many extra beds as possible within a fairly small space.
Block Off Their Sleeping Space
Ideally, your guests should be able to sleep in until they feel like waking up. This means you and anyone you share your household with should be extra conscious of any noise that might wake up your visitors before they’re ready. You should also try not to place their sleeping area in a place that gets a lot of noise and foot traffic in the morning, such as near the kitchen. If you have them, screens and room dividers can help block off part of your living area and create a makeshift bedroom. Hanging up some curtains with a tension rod is also a great option and may work even better than a classic screen depending on the layout of your space.
Place Them Close to a Bathroom
Setting your guests up near a bathroom is another way to make them feel more comfortable, particularly if they’re visiting your home for the first time. That way, they’ll be able to use it whenever they need to without having to tiptoe awkwardly through your personal spaces, such as your office or bedroom.
Provide Fresh Sheets
Even if your couch is all you can offer an overnight visitor, dressing it like a proper bed goes a long way. Take out your best sheets and wrap them carefully around the seat cushions. In addition, provide a top sheet, a good pillow, and a comforter to ensure that your guest gets a good night’s rest.
Turn an End Table into a Temporary Nightstand
Converting one of your sofa’s end tables into a nightstand temporarily can help make your living room feel more like a bedroom. Remove any decorative accessories on the table and instead place a bedtime light source for your guest, whether it’s a reading lamp or a small nightlight. Pamper your guest further by adding other nighttime essentials like an eye mask, ear plugs, a scented candle, and maybe even some bottled water.
Offer Temperature Control Options
While you don’t have to give your guests control of the air conditioning during their stay, it’s always nice to give them other ways to adjust the temperature as they like. Leave a basket with extra blankets by their sleeping space to ensure that they stay warm and toasty even if you have the AC going on full blast. Setting them up with an electric fan is another thoughtful option, as fans help drown out unwanted sounds with white noise in addition to cooling the air.
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At the end of the day, there’s no need to stress too much about making sure everything is absolutely perfect for your guests. As long as you’re thoughtful and well-prepared, your guests will likely appreciate whatever sleeping space you have to offer them.
