8 Ways to use your guest room when you don’t have guests

Guest rooms are great… when you actually have guests.

When you’re without guests (which, for most people, is most of the time), that room can end up being wasted space in your valuable floor plan.

There’s no need to close the door and make that room off-limits just because you don’t currently have company claiming the space. Instead, reclaim that area for yourself and make it a room your household actually uses until someone comes to stay. These are our favorite ways to reuse your guest room when you don’t have guests.

1. Play room

You know all those toys currently littering every space on your floor? How many times have you thought about how nice it would be to have a room dedicated just to toys? There’s no reason you can’t relocate all those items to your guest room. Buy a nice wooden toy chest and some shelving and set up all the noisy, mess-making toys in there. Your kids will have their own place to play and your house just might be spared from looking like a tornado hit it every single day of the week. When a guest does arrive, have your kid take the toys he just can’t live without into his room and dump everything else into the toy box.

2. Craft space

You’ve got boxes and bins of crafting supplies stacked away down in your basement. Imagine all the Pinterest projects you could create if you just had the space. Guess what? You do! Set up a desk or table in your guest room and get crafting. Just make sure all your projects are complete or at a good pausing point before potential guests come calling.

More: Make your guest room feel like a hotel suite

3. Reading room

If you’re a book-lover, chances are you’d do just about anything for a quiet place to close out the world and curl up with a book every now and then. Just add a cozy chair and maybe a bookshelf to your guest room and you’ve got a ready-made reading room all of your own.

4. Movie room

OK, so maybe this movie room won’t be complete without theater seating, but if you have a comfy bed and a decent-sized TV, you’ve scored another room to chill out with the latest flick. Go ahead and let the kids watch cartoons in the living room; you’re about to sink into the guest bed and binge-watch to your heart’s content.

5. Music room

Does anyone in your house play an instrument? If so, give them the guest room when it’s not in use so they can practice without being disturbed (and without disturbing anyone else).

More: 9 Things your guest bathroom needs

6. Art studio

How much room do you really need to set up an easel? Add a comfortable chair near the window and you have a private space to let your creativity run free.

7. Workout space

You really would use that treadmill if you had a place to set it up, right? Go ahead and put it in the guest room. Most of the time, it won’t be in anyone’s way, and there’s a chance your guests will actually appreciate the chance to get in a workout when they’re in town.

More: 13 Guest bedroom ideas to make your guests feel at home

8. Home office

Homeowners often find themselves trying to decide whether to dedicate an extra space to a guest room or an office, but there’s no reason you can’t have both. Outfit the room with a matching bed and desk, and use it as your daily home office. When preparing for guests, move files to the closet or other parts of the house, unclutter the desk and make sure to move any personal paperwork out of the room.

This post was brought to you by Value City Furniture. For more inspiration, visit their blog at blog.vcf.com.