How can I create the perfect guest bedroom for the holidays?

It's holiday season and it's time to put the welcome mat out for your guests who are coming from colder climates. Not only is it the right thing to do, it's also something your winter visitors will remember when you head in their direction during July and August next year.

Here are suggestions for making guests feel right at home:

• Clean out the closet and some drawers in the guest bedroom. Probably that room is a storage area for everything that doesn't fit in the rest of the house. So whenever someone opens the closet door, junk flies out. It might also help to remove one or two pieces of furniture – like a chair or an extra table.
• Buy a luggage rack to set up in the bedroom for a suitcase. In fact, maybe you should buy two racks if you have the space. No one likes keeping luggage on the floor for a week. There's probably still time to order a rack online or check out local stores. Prices can be about $20 to $30 each.
• Pretend the guest room is a hotel room. Ask yourself: What are the things you really expect to find in a motel? Shampoo, hand lotion, soap, bath gel, facial tissues – the works – and maybe even toothpaste and deodorant.
• Don't forget the kids. Lots of us pump up air mattresses for the little guys, but be sure to check out the equipment before guests arrive. Even the best plastic air mattresses can spring leaks in the Arizona's dry climate after only a couple of years. You won't want to run out to buy a new one at 8 p.m. right after your exhausted guests arrive from a long drive or plane ride.

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