The holidays are closing in, and your Glendale, Arizona home will soon be filling up with family looking to escape the winter frost and get reacquainted with the sun. Now it’s time to tackle that guest bedroom, the one that’s slowly become an in-house storage unit where you put all the “don’t know what to do with’s.” There’s no shame here; some of us have “junk” drawers, some have “junk” rooms.
That’s why Central Self Storage has put together a task list for you, to help you de-clutter, redesign and get your guest bedroom back in merry-making shape for the whole family.
STEP 1: Stay, Sell, Store or Expel
Take everything out of the closets, from under the bed, out of the drawers and off the floor. Start by just putting them into piles.
- Stay: What would you actually use now that you remember you have it?
- Sell: What is worth selling on Craigslist or to local secondhand stores like J&K Furniture? Anything that will get you more than $25 is worth the time.
- Store: The items you know you’ll regret getting rid of, but you don’t use all the time, should go into self storage.
- Expel: This can mean either giving to charity or throwing away. Unless you have a lot of items worth more than $25, this should be your biggest pile.
STEP 2: Take Action
Now that you have everything in its respective pile, get on it! Here are your next tasks for Step 2:
- Take pictures of each item you want to sell, and put them on Craigslist, eBay, or haul them to the local secondhand store to get appraised.
- Visit Central Self Storage for storage unit locations in Glendale, Arizona and be sure to ask about the free moving truck to help you load your items. Box them up and get them prepared for transfer. Try to organize them in groups of likeness, and label each box so you can easily find them in your unit.
- Pile up the items you are taking to charity into your car and make the trip ASAP.
- Contact your local sanitation company to find out when bulk trash day is, and prepare the “throw-away” items for the curb.
STEP 3: Redesign Your Room
With everything out, it’s time to reconfigure the room to provide your guests a comfortable stay and ensure you have plenty of storage space for all the items in your keep pile. Here are some tips for creating a desert retreat:
- Purchase a new or used ottoman to go at the end of the bed. This gives you a place to secretly store things, and gives your guests a place to sit while they get ready for the day.
- Choose bedding with different preferences in mind. Provide a thin quilt as the main bedding, and leave a folded blanket at the end of the bed for those who get chilled easily.
- Do the same with pillows. Pillows with shams can be your softer options, while the supporting pillows with simple pillow sheets can be the firmer choice. That way, guests can choose their personal level of comfort.
- Make use of under-the-bed storage to hide more items that you’ve decided to keep.
- Provide spare hangers in the closet for guests to use. Even if you’re also using the closet for your clothing, reserve space for them to hang their nicer items.
- Include a spacious dresser or chest for guests to unpack and use to place their clothes. Include drawer-specific scented sachets or bags so their items stay smelling fresh.
- Colors for the walls and any decorations should be location-specific. Desert hues, sky blues, with splashes of green will provide the perfect oasis your guests need.
- Leave towels and rags out for your guests prior to arriving. That way, they don’t have to ask – and it helps to be a little thoughtful!
- Provide bed-side storage for them, such as a bowl or plate. There they can place their cell phones, jewelry or watch overnight, and don’t have to worry about losing them.
More than anything – have fun with it! As you go through updating the room, remember all the comforts of home that you love, and consider adding them to the room. Like whether or not black-out curtains will help your guests sleep better, or if adding a nightlight will soothe their fears.
These small touches will do wonders in creating a comfortable space for your guests, and have a big impact on making their getaway the most it can be. They’ll not only appreciate the extra effort you’ve taken, but they’ll go out of their way to ensure they leave it in the beautiful condition it was in when they arrived!
