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  1. #1
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Default Guest room for permanent guest

    So 5 years ago I posted asking about guest room ideas: https://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/sh...est-room-ideas

    Back then, it was mostly my mom who would come up to visit once a month for the weekend. Well, the month before the Covid lockdowns started, my mom lost her full time job as a dental lab tech and had been staying with us since she had some interviews out here. Once the quarantine went into place I told her to just stay here instead of quarantining alone in San Diego in her tiny 1 bedroom apartment. So here we are, 5 months later, with no end in sight (CA is still pretty locked down). After paying rent on an empty apartment for 5 months we've decided that she'll give up her apartment and just stay with us till this is over and she can get a job again (no one is hiring in her field right now). She'll move out of her apartment for good in 3 weeks.

    So I'm looking for more guest room ideas for a permanent guest now. I basically added everyone's ideas from my previous thread (blackout shades, nightstands with table lamps, a coffee station, full length mirror) and we just got rid of the futon and replaced it with a regular full bed. Just last week I realized there was no hamper in the guest room and she had her dirty clothes in a laundry bag on the floor! So I just got her a real hamper today. She's also been living out of her toiletry bag in the bathroom and I obviously need to empty out one of the 6 bathroom drawers for her to put her stuff (she's sharing the bathroom with the boys). At the beginning of the lockdown I added a narrow 5 drawer dresser to the closet for her to have somewhere to put her clothes and not have to live out of her suitcase. What else am I missing? Everyone had such great ideas in the last thread.
    Latia (Birth & Postpartum Doula and Infant Nanny)
    Conner 8/19/03 (My 1st home birthed water baby!)
    Parker 5/23/09 (My 2nd home birthed water baby!)

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by essnce629 View Post
    So 5 years ago I posted asking about guest room ideas: https://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/sh...est-room-ideas

    Back then, it was mostly my mom who would come up to visit once a month for the weekend. Well, the month before the Covid lockdowns started, my mom lost her full time job as a dental lab tech and had been staying with us since she had some interviews out here. Once the quarantine went into place I told her to just stay here instead of quarantining alone in San Diego in her tiny 1 bedroom apartment. So here we are, 5 months later, with no end in sight (CA is still pretty locked down). After paying rent on an empty apartment for 5 months we've decided that she'll give up her apartment and just stay with us till this is over and she can get a job again (no one is hiring in her field right now). She'll move out of her apartment for good in 3 weeks.

    So I'm looking for more guest room ideas for a permanent guest now. I basically added everyone's ideas from my previous thread (blackout shades, nightstands with table lamps, a coffee station, full length mirror) and we just got rid of the futon and replaced it with a regular full bed. Just last week I realized there was no hamper in the guest room and she had her dirty clothes in a laundry bag on the floor! So I just got her a real hamper today. She's also been living out of her toiletry bag in the bathroom and I obviously need to empty out one of the 6 bathroom drawers for her to put her stuff (she's sharing the bathroom with the boys). At the beginning of the lockdown I added a narrow 5 drawer dresser to the closet for her to have somewhere to put her clothes and not have to live out of her suitcase. What else am I missing? Everyone had such great ideas in the last thread.
    I loved that thread you posted initially! I got some ideas out of that for my guest room with visiting mom and friends.

    Anyway; onto your mom. What’s her entertaining style? Does she have a tv or dedicated media to watch her shows and the like? I know if my mom were to move in with us, she’ll want a tv in her room. We only have 2 TVs in our house. One for the kids to play Minecraft and fortnite & other Xbox games and hubby watches the other tv while I use my iPad.

    Better lightening in room? Is a lamp really sufficient for your mom? Easy to see and read her stuff if she wanted to? Maybe space in pantry to store some of her foods if you haven’t done already. Laundry hamper is good start. What about space to hang her extra purses, bags, and coats? Again if it’s mom, I’ll need space for her many bags and purses.


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    Mummy to DS1-6/11 and DS2-1/14

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    Does she not have items she’s moving out of her apartment? Unless it was furnished I would hold off on adding because I imagine she has personal items from her apartment that she’d like to put into her room?
    momma to DD 12/08 & DS 3/13

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    twowhat? is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    You are so awesome to make her as comfortable as possible! Lighting is HUGE. If there's just a single overhead light, it's not homey at all. A lamp placed lower down (think night stand or end table level) with a soft white bulb or a bright white bulb with a shade that softens the light makes such a huuuuuuge difference in the feel of a bedroom. Ceiling fan or a smaller tabletop fan so it doesn't get stuffy if her door is shut? A surface to sit at for writing (bills, etc) is nice and it doesn't have to be big - a little table (maybe even a simple small C-table like you see at hotels that you can either pull up to a chair or your bed and will hold a laptop, or a dinner plate) and comfy chair. A rug!!! Something that makes her want to take her shoes off and step onto with bare feet. Does the room have a closet? Extra hangers. A good coat hook on the back of the door to the room. And the door to the closet, if it exists. Make sure she gets a WiFi signal in her room. A pretty mat right outside the door to her room. A couple of big square euro pillows to prop up in bed for reading. An extra throw blanket.

    Agree with PP to check on what she already has first, to avoid accumulating stuff!
    Last edited by twowhat?; 07-29-2020 at 05:20 PM.

  5. #5
    SnuggleBuggles is online now Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snow mom View Post
    Does she not have items she’s moving out of her apartment? Unless it was furnished I would hold off on adding because I imagine she has personal items from her apartment that she’d like to put into her room?
    That was my question too.


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  6. #6
    hillview's Avatar
    hillview is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    second set of sheets
    tea kettle (hot water) if she likes tea
    small fridge if practical
    flashlight in case you lose power
    knowledge of the fire /earthquake plan & any supplies etc
    small first aid kit (bandaids) in case she cuts herself (minor) and you are asleep
    extra trash bags for her trash can if you use them
    hangers
    slippers
    robe
    non slip bath mat for shower
    we have an auto close hinge on the guest room so the dogs cannot go in there
    2 sets of towels so she can wash a set easily
    hooks in her room depending on space (for robe and towels if the bathroom is shared with kids -- but I am picky like that)
    if she is going to be with you long term I would want some ground rules established. My mom and dad lived with us for years and my mom is about to come live with us for 6 weeks (similar situation as you)
    DS #1 Summer 05
    DS #2 Summer 07

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    Quote Originally Posted by Snow mom View Post
    Does she not have items she’s moving out of her apartment? Unless it was furnished I would hold off on adding because I imagine she has personal items from her apartment that she’d like to put into her room?
    Agreed.

    And please, please, please don't take this as being snarky, but have you asked her what she needs? For example, my mom doesn't like fans in bedrooms and she wouldn't really need a writing table. I wouldn't put my money there if she was going to be there long term.

    But if she's the type who is like "Oh, I don't mind. Whatever you want to get, honey," then please ignore me!
    DS: Raising heck since 12/09

  8. #8
    Kestrel is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Perhaps a nice bathrobe, if she is sharing a bathroom with boys!
    A safe (not damp, like a bathroom) place to put any medications.
    Perhaps a set of house keys if she drives/leaves the house independently. This would make her feel more like she lives there, rather than a guest.
    When my mother was staying with us, we got her a nice teacup/saucer set (we are not coffee/tea drinkers).
    Maybe a landline phone? Depends on how "tech" she is. Or charging station/laptop station.

  9. #9
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by DualvansMommy View Post
    Does she have a tv or dedicated media to watch her shows and the like? I know if my mom were to move in with us, she’ll want a tv in her room.

    Better lightening in room? Is a lamp really sufficient for your mom? Easy to see and read her stuff if she wanted to? Maybe space in pantry to store some of her foods if you haven’t done already. Laundry hamper is good start. What about space to hang her extra purses, bags, and coats? Again if it’s mom, I’ll need space for her many bags and purses.
    There's a TV in her room with access to Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Prime, and YouTube TV.

    There's a nightstand on either side of her bed with table lamps. They have Phillips Hue light bulbs so she can dim them, have them at full brightness, or change their color by using the Echo Dot in her room. There's a ceiling fan in her room that has lights on a dimmer as well. I just added an air purifier as well.

    Extra storage space is probably the biggest issue. There's a closet in her room but half of it is a shelving unit with all our extra comforters/pillows/blankets. I emptied the other side of the closet for her and put in a tall 5 drawer dresser for her clothes. There's only a small space for hanging clothes. Each nightstand has a drawer that she can put stuff in and the TV stand has 2 cabinet doors and about 6 shelves for her to use. I think I'll get some divided underbed storage containers for her to put any extra clothes and shoes (right now she just has her extra shoes on the bottom shelf of the luggage rack). There's an Ikea desk cabinet in the room with 3 drawers of DH's random office paperwork and random junk that maybe I can get him to empty for her. I did put 2 heavy duty hooks on the wall for her to hang her robe, purse, etc.
    Latia (Birth & Postpartum Doula and Infant Nanny)
    Conner 8/19/03 (My 1st home birthed water baby!)
    Parker 5/23/09 (My 2nd home birthed water baby!)

  10. #10
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snow mom View Post
    Does she not have items she’s moving out of her apartment? Unless it was furnished I would hold off on adding because I imagine she has personal items from her apartment that she’d like to put into her room?
    She's been with us for 5 months already so whatever little things she wanted from her apartment she has pretty much already brought up. She's back at her apartment right now purging, selling stuff, and packing. She sold her entire bedroom and dining room set and only plans to keep her living room furniture that she'll be putting in storage out here. All her kitchen and seasonal stuff will be put into storage as well. She has a tiny 1 bedroom apartment, so not much stuff and she already Marie Kondo'd a ton of it over the past year. I really only expect her to bring up additional clothing and shoes, and even that is not much (she worked in scrubs every day).
    Latia (Birth & Postpartum Doula and Infant Nanny)
    Conner 8/19/03 (My 1st home birthed water baby!)
    Parker 5/23/09 (My 2nd home birthed water baby!)

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