The Fastest (and Cheapest!) Ways to Update Your Guest Bedroom This Summer

Roll out the red carpet (or really, the patterned rug) with these spare bedroom decorating ideas. There's no need for a complete overhaul — small touches like a potted plant, fresh throw pillow, or cozy throw can refresh your guest room before company arrives. Give a dated space a budget-friendly design update by painting the walls, ceiling, or floor (really!), or hang removable wallpaper for instant pep. These makeover ideas will get the job done quickly — and maybe inspire a bedroom makeover of your own.

Before the doorbell rings, clear out any clutter from the guest bedroom and lay out towels, extra blankets, and pillows. Move any fragile knick knacks from the bedside table and swap in some new magazines, plus a carafe of water and drinking glasses. Earn some bonus points by leaving out a list of handy deets, like your home's wifi network and password. Quickly testing the lights for burnt bulbs or the TV remote for spent batteries wouldn't hurt either. The finishing touch: bringing in a bouquet of fresh flowers, either from the store or snipped from the backyard. With bedrooms like these, expect to see a lot more RSVPs coming your way. Your guests will want to visit again and again — and give you a five-star rating if they could.