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Original poster

If you had someone staying on your sofa on the spur of the moment

71 replies

Peakedtoosoon · 16/12/2021 14:29

What would/could you provide them with?

A friend stayed after a night out. I really struggled to give them much at all. I had to take a pillow off my bed, give them a child's sleeping bag. I did find a towel and was able to give them a new toothbrush.

Are you properly kitted out to receive guests, even if it happens rarely and you don't have a guest room?

OP posts:

sofakingcool · 16/12/2021 16:45

We have two spare double duvets and pillows, and plenty of towels

Wouldn't have a spare toothbrush, but we live right by a huge Sainsbury's so could easily solve that if needed

BigSandyBalls2015 · 16/12/2021 16:50

We have quite a few spare duvets/blankets/throws/pillows from the days when the DDs were teens and friends used to crash here after a night out. And a couple of air beds. Not used so much these days, but could if needed.

Sprogonthetyne · 16/12/2021 16:56

I have the out of season duvets, so this time of year probably double layer two summer one's. If I knew before the kids went to bed I would move my youngest onto the trundle in her brothers room, and offer her room. We usually have towels spair, and if not we have swimming/beach one's that aren't in general use, so would be clean. Toothbrushes, depends if we're at the start or end of a multipack, at the minute I don't have a spair adult one, but have several kids one's, which would do for a night.

GTAlogic · 16/12/2021 16:59

A single sleeping bag, a couple of throws and some sofa cushions. No-one ever stays over at ours because there's no reason to.

IntermittentParps · 16/12/2021 17:00

Oh yes, I have several blankets/throws too, because I'm old and obsessed with cosy blankets these days

hivemindneeded · 16/12/2021 17:03

In my mind I always need enough to make an entire family of refugees comfortable. DCs teen friends always comment that they can crash at ours in comfort because we have so many spare duvets, pillows, air beds, zedbeds etc. Getting rid of them soon as they feel like clutter now DC are off at uni.

Greydogs123 · 16/12/2021 17:17

Yeah, we have camping stuff, so could even give them a camp bed rather than the sofa, sleeping bag and spare sheets, spare pillows. The only thing I might not have is a new toothbrush, but I’d offer them the mouthwash!

YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp · 16/12/2021 17:21

We have a double bed, air bed and sofa with bedding so can easily accommodate 4 extras plus towels etc.
No problem!

Elphame · 16/12/2021 17:34

As there are 3 spare bedrooms here they’d be really unlucky to end up on the emergency sofa bed but yes I have enough bedding and towels for them even if they did.

I don’t keep spare toothbrushes though.

SisterAgatha · 16/12/2021 17:37

I often have this as my mum or friends stay over after nights out as my house is quite well situated. Our play room is set up ready to go but I use the term playroom loosely, it’s the front room with laundry and toys thrown all over it.

So we have duvets, pillows and a sheet for the sofa already in there. Toothbrush, my mum already has her own here but we have a pack of spares. There’s a little table lamp for reading by in there. And my best friend has her own bucket for nights out

ChaToilLeam · 16/12/2021 17:42

We have no spare room or sofa bed, but a comfy couch and inflatable mattresses. I have a spare bedding set under the bed and we have more downstairs. We have spare towels too. After the shooting in Munich 5 years ago the city centre was cordoned off, so DP had to accommodate a number of stranded friends overnight and it was no problem. You’ve reminded me I need to get some cheap toothbrushes though, in case anyone crashes at ours over Christmas/New Year.

IknowwhatIneed · 16/12/2021 17:59

No spare room but we have a sofa bed in the study and enough spare bedding to sleep an army, lots of clean towels and I’d be able to find a new toothbrush. We don’t have visitors often but have loads of spare everything.

tiredanddangerous · 16/12/2021 18:02

We have spare duvets and pillows. Definitely no spare toothbrush though!

NMC2022 · 16/12/2021 18:08

Pillows, blankets, duvet with bedding
New toothbrush and paste
As much skincare/makeup/bath stuff as they would ever need

Constance1 · 16/12/2021 18:13

We could provide everything apart from a toothbrush.

OfMinceAndMen · 16/12/2021 18:13

We have a guest room thats ready to go, and I could provide a disposable toothbrush that I've 'acquired' from a previous hotel visit. So yes.
We've literally never had unplanned guests though. I can't think why that would happen (for us).

AutumnAnn · 16/12/2021 18:23

We never have guests because neither of us like other people but oddly we do have a guest bed, pillows, duvets, packs of new toothbrushes, toothpastes, deodorant.. Etc so could easily accommodate anyone.

TangerineDreams · 16/12/2021 18:40

We have spares of most things and all the kids have double beds because they (DD14, DD12 and DS9) always liked to have sleepovers with each other. When we have guests we can easily get a spare bed or even possibly two (depending if all three of mine would share for a night now) and two sofas. We've enough pillows and blankets also. There's a blow up single mattress and a few sleeping bags in a cupboard as well.

My sister's house? Not so much. There's not even enough seating for 4 adults to sit down in the living room. It's big enough but she only wanted one small sofa.

TangerineDreams · 16/12/2021 18:43

I also have packs and packs of unopened bamboo toothbrushes for all the kids who come for sleepovers but forget toothbrushes. I learned long ago to keep spares.

There's also soaps, shampoos and all sorts that I've.... acquired... from any hotel stays I've had too

peaceanddove · 16/12/2021 18:59

We have a guest room with a double bed so no one needs to sleep on the sofa. Also have a selection of quilts (Winter & Summer weights), tonnes of towels and a wide variety of bedding and throws.

hivemindneeded · 16/12/2021 21:05

@AutumnAnn

limitedperiodonly · 16/12/2021 22:02

My house is not a hotel but if someone wanted to kip on the settee I'd give them blankets and cushions and t-shirt and knickers or shorts and socks if it was cold.

I'd give them a crash course in how to operate the TV and Sky and access to downloaded films. I would ask them to keep the noise down.

I have a spare unisex dressing gown and plenty of towels. I'd make them breakfast.

I'd give them one of the manual toothbrushes I acquired last time I stayed in hospital. But that's where it gets tricky. I could give them a head for my electric toothbrush but I wouldn't want to. This thread has taught me that the toothbrush is the limit of my hospitality. If anyone uses my toothbrush I have to throw it away and I'd hate to throw an electric toothbrush head away after one use. An Oral B angled one from the NHS is fine to throw or to take with them. I pay my taxes.

TheCreamCaker · 16/12/2021 22:18

We've always got spare duvets, pillows and toothbrushes, as well as loads of towels, flannels, toiletries - just because I buy too much stuff

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 16/12/2021 22:38

Fold out single futon to sleep on and we have a spare single duvet and bedding. Plenty of pillows and towels and always have new toothbrushes kicking about somewhere.

Hellocatshome · 16/12/2021 22:41

We are not "kitted out for quests" we don't have a spare room but having just thought about it we have a blow up bead, several adult sleeping bags, a spare duvet, several blankets, lots of cushions etc so could probably cope. The only issue would be a toothbrush.

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