Christmas hosting
The spare room, ready for Christmas
A practical checklist for getting your guest bed warm, fresh and welcoming before the family arrives.
Christmas Day falls on a Friday this year, which means plenty of guests will be arriving for a long weekend. The spare room has probably spent months as a home office, a storage space or a drying room. Here is how to turn it back into somewhere people genuinely sleep well.
In short
- Start in early December: air the room, check the mattress and wash everything.
- Protect the mattress and pillows before the fresh bedding goes on.
- Spare rooms are often the coldest in the house, so dress the bed for warmth.
- Finish with the small touches: a spare blanket, a glass of water, a clear bedside table.
Early December: reset the spare room
Clear the room
Move the boxes, the laundry pile and the exercise bike. Guests need floor space for a suitcase and a clear surface by the bed.
Air it out
Rooms that sit closed for months can feel stuffy or damp. Open the window for a while each day and check for any condensation or mould around the frame.
Check the mattress
Vacuum it, turn or rotate it if the manufacturer recommends, and look for stains. If it has been unprotected, now is the time to add a protector.
Wash the duvet and pillows
Check the care labels. A king or super king duvet often needs a large-capacity machine, so plan a trip to the launderette if yours is too small.
Build the bed in layers
A guest bed that feels like a hotel bed is mostly about the layers, and getting them in the right order.
Mattress protector
Keeps the mattress fresh between visits. Choose waterproof if children or a dog may be staying.
Pillow protectors
Our quilted pillow protectors zip closed to fully enclose the pillow, so every guest gets a fresh one.
Fitted and flat sheet
A flat sheet tucked with hospital corners gives that crisp hotel finish.
Duvet and a spare throw
Fold an extra blanket at the foot of the bed so guests can add warmth without asking.
The best guest bed is the one nobody has to ask about.
Keeping a cold spare room warm
Spare rooms are often the ones with the radiator turned down all year. A few choices make a real difference.
Pick the right duvet tog
Tog measures how much warmth a duvet traps. For winter, 10.5 to 13.5 tog suits most people in the UK, and Which? notes most people find a 13.5 tog duvet warm enough for British winters. Older relatives often feel the cold more, so a warmer duvet or an extra blanket is a kind thought.
Try brushed cotton sheets
Brushed cotton, also called flannelette, has a soft, raised surface that feels warm the moment you get into bed, with none of the cold first touch of a crisp sheet. Our Bella Brushed Cotton fitted sheet (in double, king and super king) and pillowcases are 100% brushed cotton flannelette.
Turn the heating on earlier
Put the radiator on a few hours before guests go to bed, and draw the curtains at dusk to keep the warmth in. The NHS advises heating the bedroom to at least 18°C in cold weather, especially for older people.
Have two complete sets of bedding for the spare room. If guests stay over Christmas and New Year, you can change the bed in minutes without waiting for the wash to dry.
The finishing touches guests notice
- A carafe or bottle of water and a glass on the bedside table.
- A lamp they can reach from bed, and a phone charger at the plug.
- A couple of empty hangers and a clear drawer.
- A fresh towel folded on the end of the bed.
- The Wi-Fi password written on a card.
- A spare blanket, in case the night turns colder than expected.
For styling ideas, read how to style a guest bedroom. And if bedding is on your gift list this year, our Christmas gift guide has ideas for every budget.
Sheet Story
Dress the spare bed
Full bedding sets in Ackly Bamboo or Ella long-staple cotton, plus brushed cotton for colder rooms. Free UK delivery on orders over £80 and free returns within 90 days.
Shop Ackly Bamboo bedding →Questions we are often asked
What tog duvet is best for a guest room in winter?
For winter, 10.5 to 13.5 tog suits most people in the UK. If the spare room is cold or your guests feel the chill, 13.5 tog or a 10.5 tog with an extra blanket works well.
Do I need a mattress protector on a spare bed?
Yes. It keeps the mattress fresh between visits and is far easier to wash than the mattress itself. Choose waterproof if children or pets may stay.
How far ahead should I prepare the spare room?
Starting in early December gives you time to air the room, wash bulky duvets and pillows, and order anything new before the Christmas rush.
Is brushed cotton warmer than regular cotton?
Brushed cotton has a raised, soft surface that traps a little air and feels warm to the touch, which is why many people switch to it in winter.
Every bed tells a Sheet Story
