Hosting guests can be stressful when you have a spare room, but it can feel straight-up impossible when you live in a studio or a small flat. In reality, you don’t need to turn away your friends and family because of a lack of space. Impress your visitors with these tips for hosting overnight guests in a small apartment.
Invest in an air mattress (or a sleeper sofa!).
Finding adequate sleeping solutions for overnight guests can be the most challenging part of hosting, but you’ve got options. Some renters invest in a sleeper sofa or sleeper loveseat that can transform into a bed; you just may have to shove a coffee table out of the way come bedtime. Another option is purchasing an air mattress that can easily be stowed away when not in use. Set it up wherever it fits at night, and you can stash it on top of your bed to get it out of the way come morning (if your guest is staying multiple nights).
Provide plenty of blankets, pillows, towels, and other essential items.
One way to instantly make an overnight guest feel welcomed and at home is by making sure they have everything they need to be comfortable. Instead of scrambling to find things when they arrive, or when they request it, make sure they have blankets, pillows, and towels readily available to them. Stock your bathroom with extra rolls of toilet paper and soap, too. Not only will they appreciate the gesture, but you’ll also help ensure they have everything they need to feel comfortable.
Tidy up.
When you’re hosting guests without a guest room, you have no other option but to have them all up in your space. One surefire way to make close-quarters seem uncomfortably closer is by having clutter and mess. Before your guests arrive, and sporadically while they’re there, make sure to clean your apartment and make sure things are organized. Your guests will likely feel much more comfortable sleeping in your living room if it’s not covered in dog hair or overflowing with last week’s takeout boxes.
Clear out a place for guests to put bags and suitcases.
Bulky suitcases and oversized bags can quickly make a small space feel smaller, especially if they’re sprinkled smack dab in the middle of your common area. Clear out space, even if it’s just a small area behind a couch or tucked under a window, for your guests to stow their luggage and get them out of the way for their visit.
Offer them a drawer for their clothing.
This probably isn’t necessary if your guest is only staying for one night, but a guest staying for multiple nights will likely appreciate the ability to unpack their clothing. If possible, combine two of your drawers into one and offer them the free drawer for their belongings. This will also help keep your space clean for their visit and allow them to store away their bags.
Consider setting up a folding screen for privacy.
If you’re willing to host someone in a tiny apartment, you likely already have a degree of comfort with them. Still, that doesn’t mean a bit of privacy isn’t appreciated. Particularly in a studio, their “room” is out in the open and in constant view of your sleeping and dressing space. Investing in a privacy screen is a simple way to create a bit of privacy for their stay; plus, it can serve as a decorative room divider when you don’t have guests.
Treat the common area, or wherever they are sleeping, like their bedroom.
In other words, your living room is not your living room as long as your guest is sleeping there! At night, make sure your movie night ends before your guest wants to hit the hay. Try to stay out of the common area before they’ve awoken – or, at the very least, stay quiet! To the best of your ability, try to treat their sleeping space like their room so they can get enough sleep and have a bit of privacy.
When you don’t have a guest room – or a lot of space in general – hosting apartment guests can certainly be cozy… but that can make it more fun! With a little bit of planning, there’s no reason why it can’t be done.
Still having a hard time giving your guests a five-star experience in a 100-square-foot room? Find apartments with guest rooms, half baths, and more with ApartmentSearch.
