Our house is full to the brim right now.

Overflowing with loads of laundry and Christmas ribbon.

And I’m here for it.

Every. Single. Minute.

How about your house? Are you hosting? Are you sprucing up the guest room and getting it ready for all the merrymakers? Need a few last-minute tips to make your guests feel welcome?

No worries.

I got you.

Here are some of my best last-minute tips to add a little merry and bright to your guest room.

1. Bedding

That’s my favorite way to treat my guests.

Bedding.

With extra bedding on top.

Here’s how I layer a bed:

1. I start with super high-quality sheets like these. We have them on our bed in the diamond pattern and they are so cozy. I also loved these flannel sheets for winter with this cute buffalo check pattern.
2. Then I add in a down comforter. These are a MUST for me in the guest room. It adds layers of cozy and warmth to the bed.
3. I always add two pillow options. One that’s a little firmer and one that’s a little softer.
4. I add a lightweight blanket and a throw at the end of the bed so the guest can adjust to the temperature in the room or to use in place of the down comforter if it gets too hot in the room.
5. Then I top off the entire bed with a couple of throw pillows. Look at the CUTEST set I found for Christmas and winter. These buffalo-checked pillows (like the red ones I have on the bed) are adorable too.

In addition to fresh bedding (that I spray with this AMAZING lavender-scented linen spray), I also make sure the guest bath is stocked with fresh towels (I always wash my towels with these scented beads and they smell INCREDIBLE).

You can see tons of ideas for guest room essentials at Walmart.

Walmart has the best selection of air mattresses and air purifiers and throws and pillows and black-out curtains. Everything your guests need to feel at home. You can see them all here.

2. Lighting

Every guest room needs a little lighting.

I think there are three major light sources that every guest room needs.

1. Overhead lighting with bright white lights. That way they can just flip a switch by the door and immediately see the entire space.
2. Task lighting. I try to have table lamps in the room so that there’s another option to the bright overhead light. This table lamp is perfect. It’s the right height for a desk or dresser and it comes with a drum shade.
3. A reading light. Many times a guest wants to read in bed. This clip-on reading lamp gives the right amount of light for late night reading.

3. Additional bed options

Sometimes there are more guests than beds in our home. At first we just used sleeping bags on the floor, but then we upgraded and now we have several options for additional bedding, but an air mattress like this is the most convenient and saves on space and storage.

We also have a roll-away guest bed in the downstairs closet.

It fits perfectly in the space and turns the office into a guest room with its own bath downstairs. Denton uses the rollaway bed and loves it.

4. Candles

Nothing is better than a guest room that smells amazing.

It sets the tone for the whole visit.

This candle is one of my all-time favorites. It’s called Red Lava Citrus and you probably saw it all over the house on the video home tour. I have one in the dining room and one in the living room.

5. Books

I’m always reading something and I try and leave a few options on the bedside table.

I stack a decorating book for inspiration.

Then I add a few novels that I’ve just finished and love (Kristen Hannah is currently my favorite).

A cozy guest bedroom is the best way to make your guests feel welcome.

And after all?

Spending time with those you love and celebrating the joys of the season is the BEST gift of all.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with Walmart.

All opinions are my own.

Please see my disclosure page for more information.

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