21 Creative DIY Projects To Prepare Your Guest Room (& Bathroom) For Holiday Visitors

Try out a few of these, and you just might finally impress your in-laws.

Stephanie Shore Fisher

1. Print out and display the Wi-Fi password.

eleganceandenchantment.com

Download a free printable here and put it in a pretty frame.

2. Give your guests somewhere to juice up their gadgets with a DIY charging station.

centsationalgirl.com

Because we've all started unpacking just to realize we've forgotten a charging cable. OH, THE HORROR. Get the tutorial here.

3. Or, if you're really ambitious, make an iPhone dock out of a log.

scarletwords.com

It's better than bad, it's good! Tutorial here.

4. Give them somewhere to put their suitcase.

designsponge.com

A luggage rack is ideal, but if you're short on space, a bench does double duty. It can hold a suitcase while your guests unpack, and afterward, they'll have somewhere to sit and put on their shoes. Get the tutorial for this easy bench here.

5. Provide some reading materials (especially if there's no TV in the room).

zanaproducts.co.za

Create this no-sew magazine stand with copper pipe and a couple yards of fabric. Get the tutorial here.

6. Make sure there's a mirror somewhere in the room so your guests can get ready in there when the bathroom's full.

apartmenttherapy.com

Make this Restoration-Hardware-inspired piece by adding rope to Ikea's GRUNDTAL mirror. Tutorial here.

7. Optional: Include a full-length mirror for outfit selfies.

prettyprovidence.com

If you already have a cheap mirror on hand (you know, the kind you had hanging over the back of a door in college), you can make this gold-dipped wood frame yourself. Here's the tutorial.

8. Give your guests their own set of keys so they can GTFO (or GTFI) as desired.

missrenaissance.com

Make a gorgeous leather tassel keychain with this tutorial and let them keep it when they leave. Best host ever.

9. Leave them an all-natural room & linen spray.

ourlittlegreendot.com

You know the store-bought ones are full of horrible chemicals, right? This DIY recipe is made with water and holiday-appropriate essential oils.

10. If the room doesn't have a closet, consider a garment rack.

inhonorofdesign.com

This one is functional and really attractive. Here's the tutorial.

11. Leave a carafe of water (and some glasses) so your guests don't have to stumble to the kitchen in the middle of the night.

thevspotblog.com

Use etching cream to make a customized carafe out of an empty wine bottle, if you happen to have one. (If you don't have any empty wine bottles during the holiday season, you might be doing it wrong.) Get the tutorial here.

12. Don't forget coasters!

blog.sharpie.com

I can't speak for your guests, but I always get all anxious when I have a glass of water in someone's house and no coaster. WHAT IF I RUIN THE NIGHTSTAND? SHOULD I PUT MY WATER ON THE FLOOR? WHAT IF I GET OUT OF BED AND KNOCK IT OVER? Don't put your friends and family through that turmoil. Make some DIY marbled coasters with permanent markers and cheap ceramic tiles.

13. Provide an alarm clock.

ebay.com

Some people just can't function without an old school digital alarm clock. No need to destroy your decor with an ugly piece of plastic, though — create this faceted cover with plywood or decorative paper. Get the tutorial.

14. Put a jewelry dish on the nightstand for guests who just can't sleep with rings on.

abeautifulmess.com

These are made out of oven bake clay. Tutorial here.

15. Make sure there's a lamp within reach of the bed.

buzzfeed.com

Even if your guest room has overhead lighting, nobody wants to stumble from the light switch to the bed in the dark. If a new lamp isn't in the budget, grab a cheap one from a thrift store and rewire it with a $12 kit. (It's easier than you'd think.) Get the instructions here.

16. Hang up some blackout curtains.

oceanfrontshack.com

Jet lag + early morning sun = cranky guests. Make these no-sew curtains and let 'em sleep. Tutorial here.

The guest bathroom needs loving, too!

17. Put clean shower towels in a convenient spot.

potsandtots.com

Don't make your guests rummage around in your linen closet. Make a rustic towel rack out of fence boards and plant hangers with this tutorial.

18. Provide plenty of hand towels and washcloths, too.

themerrythought.com

Hang at least one hand towel near the sink so your guests don't drip all over the bathroom floor. Make this leather and metal towel ring with just a few supplies.

19. Keep an extra set of hair tools in the bathroom.

familyhandyman.com

Hair tools take up SO much room in a suitcase. Tell your guests to leave theirs at home. Use PVC pipe to keep curling irons organized inside the vanity with this tutorial, and consult this post for a version that holds a blow dryer and straightener.

20. If you've got limited counter space, hang a shelf above the sink.

itsy-bits-and-pieces.blogspot.ca

Nobody — and I mean nobody — wants to put their toothbrush on top of the toilet. A shelf is a must. This one is actually an old wooden box screwed into the wall.

21. Leave out a variety of toiletries for them to use.

lizmarieblog.com

OK, so throwing a bunch of travel-sized products into a big glass jar isn't necessarily a DIY project, but I still think it's a smart idea. Your guests will love the selection, and it's a great spot to store free samples.