How often does your guest room get utilized?

[laurajetter]

I was just thinking about guest rooms and how I don't think I'll ever have one, at least not one that is entirely devoted to *just* being a guest room. They seem like such a popular option for what to do with extra rooms in the house, but I think I'd rather use them for other things like a scrapbooking room, sewing room, play room or music room (husband plays keyboard in a band).

Although I do have a handful of out-of-town friends, I don't really think there would be an occurence where they'd actually need to spend the night. My MIL has a guest room but it hardly ever gets used. She does have a friend from NC that comes every great once in a while, so it is useful for that. I just think I'd be more inclined to make up a nice comfy spot on the couch or air mattress on the rare occasion someone might need to stay the night.

How about you? Do you have a guest room that's just wasting space or do you really use it? Just curious!

 

[KelNottAt]

We have a guest room. It's used about 25 - 30 days per year.

My mom & stepdad, dad, and DH's parents all live far away. So, if they come visit, they're staying overnight. DH's brothers and sisters come for visits, too.

We have a king-size bed in the guest room because (before) when the ILs used to come visit they always (well, FIL, mainly) commented about how much they looovvveee the king bed they have at home. Well, after about 2 years of this we finally stopped ignoring the hint and put a king in there...just to shut them up.

In addition to serving as the guest room, it's also the closet where DH keeps his dress clothes (he hardly EVER needs them). And, it's the place where I get dressed before work, at 5:45 am. If I dressed in the master br, I'd wake DH by turning on the lights.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Welll...... considering our bedroom wil only fit our king bed and two dogs on the floor, our second room has two dressers. The third room is my home office.

Mikeeee

 

[laurajetter]

We have a guest room. It's used about 25 - 30 days per year.

My mom & stepdad, dad, and DH's parents all live far away. So, if they come visit, they're staying overnight. DH's brothers and sisters come for visits, too.

We have a king-size bed in the guest room because (before) when the ILs used to come visit they always (well, FIL, mainly) commented about how much they looovvveee the king bed they have at home. Well, after about 2 years of this we finally stopped ignoring the hint and put a king in there...just to shut them up.

In addition to serving as the guest room, it's also the closet where DH keeps his dress clothes (he hardly EVER needs them). And, it's the place where I get dressed before work, at 5:45 am. If I dressed in the master br, I'd wake DH by turning on the lights.

Hi neighbor! I live in Hampstead but am over in Eldersburg a lot; that's where my in-laws live!

 

[MomofKatie]

We don't currently have a room just for guests, but we will within the next month or so. We are a family of just 3, and we have a 3 bedroom home. All of our family lives at least 5 hours away, so whenever we get together, they stay for 2-4 nights. I'd say we have guests about 15 nights a year.

Right now, guests stay in the bonus room. It is also the family room, and where the computers are. We have a queen sleeper sofa, but it has seen better days, and is no longer very comfy. It is also not real convenient if we want to play on the computer.

DD is getting older, so we are in the midst of changing her room, from the small one she has now to the larger 3rd bedroom. When she is all switched over, her former room will become the guest room/library/den. We plan to have bookshelves in there, along with a daybed and a queen raised Aerobed that we can blow up when the Grandparents visit. The daybed will be nice, for when DD has friends over or when DSIL and her family come with the kids.

 

[Hercules10]

Everytime I drink to much cactus juice and accidently call the wife by the wrong name....

Actually about 3-4 times a year when relatives visit.

 

[ducklite]

We live in Florida, and as such have guests on a fairly regular basis.

It's actually a lot less work to have a dedicated bedroom and bath for them. I don't have to give up my den or tiptoe around while people are sleeping. The sheets and towels have to be laundered after people leave anyhow, and IMHO it's a lot easier to launder them and put them back on a regular bed than to unfold and fold up/make up a sofabed every day.

Our guest room isn't very big, but it's got a really super comfy pillowtop double bed with plenty of pillows, a dresser and TV/VCR combo, a chair, night stand with reading lamp and alarm clock, and luggage rack. There's a OSFA terry robe in the closet (also gets laundered between guests) and ample hangers of all types. We wanted to make our guests feel comfortable, and so far there haven't been any complaints.

There's also a Pack-N-Play and high chair in the closet, as well as some small toys, coloring books, and crayons.

Anne

 

[mickeyboat]

Almost no one comes to stay with us. We have a futon in the playroom which we pull out when someone comes, maybe twice a year.

Denae

 

[Stitchfans]

Very rare. To the point where we have the bed apart and leaning up against the wall. It is our "play room" where the computer is kept and we listen to music, can watch tv so on.

 

[CheshireVal]

Ours is used about 3-4 times a year, mostly when my mom or my brother come to visit and stay overnight. DH has also spent a few nights in there.

Our guest room bed is the favorite sleeping place of our cats, though, and our computer is also in there, so the room itself is used frequently. Just not for guests.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Good question.

So far this year my mom is going to stay for 2 weeks next month.
My brother is going to stay for about a week in May.

If I put a number on it, it is about 2 months out of the year.

But we also have a pool and it is for guests to change/use the restroom as well.

 

[Micca]

I said 'never" but ours will probably be used about a dozen or so nights each year. Our DDs will come to visit, and maybe some friends. I guess I should have voted "rarely".

 

[DVCLiz]

I don't have a guest room. The only person who would come and stay with me is my brother, and he's easy enough to accomodate in one of my daughters' bedrooms. He only comes for a 2 or 3 day stay every 3 or 4 years, anyway. I'd rather have him at a hotel than keep a special room for his visits (and if he thought I was being inconvenienced, he would easily pay for a hotel room in order to have his privacy, anyway.)

I use our "guest room", which is a small bedroom next to the master, as my "den." I have a double closet, and the computer and filing cabinet are there. If I want, I can close and lock that door and all the "office" stuff is hidden. The rest of the room has two double sets of built-in bookshelves, and some cabinets where I have a big TV and all the DVD equipment, ect. I keep all my books on the shelves, as well as all my craft and sewing supplies. I do a lot of crafts in this room, so I have a comfortable chair and ottoman, and a good light. It's really my own little nest, especially in the winter!!!

I'm really glad I can use the space this way - it keeps all my clutter confined to one space, and I can usually find what I need somewhere in here!!!!

 

[RadioNate]

Ours has been used about 10 nights so far this year. On ave I'd say 45-50 days a year between SIL, my mom, my dad, the inlaws and other friends/family that come visit.

 

[aprilgail2]

I think it has been used 2 or 3 times total LOL...but..we have three spare bedrooms that no one uses so its not a big deal to just leave one as a guest room otherwise if I didn't have a office room I would make it that...

 

[DMickey28]

I think it totally depends on your family/life situation. We live in S. Florida and all of our family and friends live in the Northeast. We get lots of visitors!!

We are actually moving this summer for the specific reason of getting a three bedroom rather than a two bedroom b/c with DS being born and then having guests we don't have room with the two bedroom. We do ... but I don't want to be shuffling DS in and out of his room as an infant just because someone wants to come to South Florida ... and telling them to stay in a hotel is not realistic for 90% of our visitors!!

 

[MALE*RN*777]

Don't have one and don't want one.... We don't like people other than ourselves (just kidding). We have a very small house and most of our relatives live in town so we really don't need one. If mother comes and visits she usually will get the boys bed and the boy will sleep with us or on the couch. If a childs friend sleeps over than we have some sleeping bags. And if worse comes to worse we have the camper.

 

[SC Minnie]

We have a guest room that has my antique bed and other furniture but it hardly gets used. We had guest a couple of weeks ago and they stayed in our bonus room (we have a sofa bed in there). The antique bed is short (we had to get a mattress specially made for it) and our guest was over 6'. Not a good combo.

When my BIL comes to visit he like to stay in the bonus room because it has a big screen tv with cable.

So we have a guest room but people rather stay in another room.

 

[mtemm]

I voted other because in the past 2 homes we have had, we used the guest room quite often. we lived several hours from family, and they came to visit often enough. about a year ago we moved back to where most of our family is. we set up the extra bedroom as a guest room. its nice to have for further family or friends when they visit. but about a month in, we decided to convert it to a 2nd play room for the kids. any visitors would be few and far between, and we could always set up the aerobed there or switch kids around or something if we needed to. we love it! great decision for us.

 

[LindaM]

Our guest room is used at least once a month, dh has a mentally handicap sister who lives in a group home. We pick her up at least once a month to spend the weekend with us....she just figures it's her room.