People who live in rental houses usually compromise on the square footage because of financial restrictions. If you live in a small rental house or room, you get to spend less money and save more.
Does that mean that you’re forbidden from entertaining friends and family? You’ll be visiting your family and friends whenever time permits, so wouldn’t you want it to be the other way around too? Of course, you do! The question is: If you have minimal rental space and no guest room, how will you accommodate your guest? It might seem challenging, but if you use these 11 tips, you should be able to make the most of your space while tending to a happy guest with whom you spend some quality time:
Use a room divider for privacy
A room divider or a folding screen is an excellent way to create some privacy for your guest. Why might you ask? Well, if you’re under the impression that your guest follows the same schedule that you do, think again. While you may know them well, their lifestyles are likely to be very different from yours, so you need to consider them while hosting someone.
For example, if your visitor sleeps late and gets up late, you need to give them that space so they don’t feel disturbed. You may want to have a casual discussion with them about their waking up time so that you know when they’ll be using the bathroom, and you can make sure you’re done showering by the time they wake up. It’ll also help you keep things ready for their breakfast.
Purchase multiple-use furniture
It’s difficult to purchase a decent bed when you live in a rental house with limited space. But that’s not the end of the story. You do have alternatives that can work equally well, including a pull-out couch. It serves dual purposes of sitting and sleeping on, depending on the time of the day.
Another option you can explore is an air mattress that doesn’t need much room and is pleasant. When you don’t need it, you can store it in a suitcase or a closet. In fact, to create more space in your rental house, you should invest in multi-use furniture pieces such as coffee tables and ottomans with storage capacity.
Multi-use furniture will not just work for you when you’re alone but for your guest as well.
Make space for their luggage
Your guest will be carrying their own belongings, so they need a place to put them, isn’t it? Rather than putting their suitcases on the floor where it takes up space, it might be a good idea to keep them on a small table or in one corner of your coat closet, using a luggage rack. Ensure that you set aside some space in your home for the luggage before your guest arrives.
Remove everything from flat surfaces
Generally, any empty space in a small rental house or room gets occupied with stuff we already have or buy, including coffee tables, kitchen counters, and end tables. Many of these things are useless and can be disposed of to declutter the areas and create more space.
If you keep too many things in a small area, it tends to look unattractive and might even put off people who’re used to living in tidy spaces. Therefore, remove everything you don’t use or want to create a more comfortable space for your guest.
Provide sheets and blankets
Whether your guest sleeps on a pull-out couch or an air mattress, they need to feel like they’re sleeping on a bed. And that can only happen if the sofa or mattress has a bed sheet wrapped around it. Look through your closet, select a few of your favorite sheets, and set up the bed using one. Don’t forget to include a nice fluffy pillow and a comforter.
Your guest might need some time to get used to the ambient temperature of the room they’re in. To ensure that they don’t feel too cold, leave a few extra blankets beside their bed just in case. Should they feel warm, leave a portable fan near their sofa or air mattress.
Use an end table for a nightstand
Your guest might be sleeping in the living room, but as a host, you can make some changes and add items to give it a bedroom vibe. Get hold of an end table, remove all your stuff so that it can serve as a nightstand. Add a small lamp if they wish to read, along with basic items, such as a bottle of water, tissues, earplugs, eye masks, and a few books or magazines.
Put together a welcome kit with assorted items
Take a basket and throw in a couple of assorted items consisting of toiletries such as toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo and conditioner, soap bars, lotions, water bottles, and towels and leave it beside their bed. These products are available in small sizes at local drugstores. This kit will go a long way in making your guest feel warm and welcome.
Convert the kitchen into a food station
Assuming you’ve disposed of or removed everything on your kitchen counters, you can convert it into a food station and keep various essential items, such as mugs, sugar packets, a coffee pot, bread, milk, juice, cornflakes, snacks, and so on. That way, once your guest’s ready to begin their day, they have a range of options to choose from for breakfast or whenever they feel hungry.
Make way for more seating
Besides the pull-out couch, walk around your rental house and check whether you have alternative seating options. Your guest may or may not want to sit at the same place throughout the day, so ensure that you have some chairs for their use. If you don’t have enough, buy some folding chairs that you can put away when not in use, and get all the space you need when living alone.
Add a personal touch
Suppose your guest is a family member or a friend. In that case, you’re familiar with their likes and dislikes, so you can add a personal touch to their stay by offering them something they like, such as a bar of chocolate, an exciting novel, a collection of beautiful flowers, some freshly-made lemonade, among other things. A thoughtful gesture such as this is bound to make their stay more enjoyable and memorable.
Pre-empt their need for help
Your guests may be new to your place, so it’s obvious they’ll not know what goes where. Be there to help them out before they ask you. You’ll need to let them know basic things like where they need to put their jackets or coats, where they’ll be keeping their luggage and clothes, the bathroom location, and anything else you can think of. You may want to show them around the house just to give them a sense of familiarity with a new place.
We hope these tips work wonders in making your guests stay restful and homely. Remember that it’s not the space that makes a big difference; it’s what you do with the space that will determine whether your guest feels at home and wishes to come back again. Finally, when you visit the same person at some point, you can expect the same kind of treatment too!
