The holiday season is fast approaching, so it's a good time to get organized for house guests before you get caught in the last minute panic of preparing meals and buying gifts.  

Start small, by making sure you have extra towels, soap, shampoo, toilet paper, tissues, toothbrushes, and toothpaste in your guest bathroom. An extra hair dryer is a good idea. Then, move onto the guest bedroom. Do you need to tidy it to make room for guests? Your bed linens may need to be freshened or you may need an extra blanket. Have a few empty drawers for overnight guests and nice hangers in the closet - you may have to temporarily move some of your clothes to free up space.

If you have a bureau or dressing table, clear off the top and place a decorative bowl or tray for jewelry, wallets, watches, etc. These days, it's a good idea to have a convenient place for guests to charge their phone, tablet, or laptop. And although many people use the alarms on their cell phones, it's nice to have a clock radio with an alarm by the bed. Make sure there is a good reading light, and have ready some current magazines that would interest your guest(s). Consider a nightlight in the hallway or bathroom to prevent guests from stumbling around in the dark.

Prepare your guest quarters in late October/early November and simply dust and fluff up the pillows right before guests arrive. You'll really appreciate your early efforts as the holidays approach!

For more great ideas on preparing a guest room, read Lisa Frederick's article, Impress Your Guests: 8 Tips for Gracious Guest Rooms on www.houzz.com.