Getting Your Corner Sofa Bed Ready for Christmas Guests

Christmas is the busiest time of year for spare beds. Parents come to stay, grown-up children come home, and friends who live a long drive away end up staying the night after a late Boxing Day get-together. If your guest bed is a corner sofa bed, a little preparation in the weeks before makes a big difference to how well everyone sleeps, and to how quickly your living room goes back to normal the next morning. This guide walks through a simple plan for getting a corner sofa bed ready for festive visitors, with real examples from our Corner Sofa Beds Mega Sale.

Do a test run before December gets busy

The worst time to find out that a sofa bed sticks, squeaks or has a missing cushion is ten minutes before your guests arrive. Open the bed fully at least once in November or early December and check that:

The mechanism moves smoothly. Pull-out and lift-up mechanisms should open without forcing. If something catches, check for toys, remote controls or coins that have slipped down the back of the seat.
The sleeping surface is flat and even. Lie on it yourself for a few minutes. If one section feels lower than the rest, rotate the seat cushions where your model allows it, or plan to add a topper (more on that below).
There is room around the open bed. A corner sofa bed takes up more floor space once it is open. Move the coffee table, rug or footstool now and decide where they will live while the bed is in use.

Our guide on whether you can sleep on a corner sofa bed comfortably covers what makes the biggest difference to sleep quality.

Measure the sleeping area and buy the right bedding

Corner sofa beds do not always match standard mattress sizes, so it is worth checking the sleeping area on your product page before you buy new sheets or a topper. A fitted sheet that is too small will pull at the corners, and one that is far too big will bunch up and feel uncomfortable.

As an example, the Dover Corner Sofa Bed with Storage opens to a sleeping area of 218 × 130 cm, while the Glasgow Corner Sofa Bed with Storage B01/S11 has a sleeping area of 123 × 210 cm. Two corner sofa beds, two quite different shapes, so always measure your own before you shop for bedding.

A few bedding tips that work well on sofa beds:

Add a mattress topper. Even a thin topper smooths out the joins between seat sections and makes the bed feel more like a proper mattress. Our guide to picking a sofa bed mattress for better sleep explains what to look for.
Use a mattress protector. It keeps the upholstery clean and stops it being in direct contact with bedding all night.
Choose deep-pocket fitted sheets. If you add a topper, a deeper sheet will hold everything in place.
Bring extra pillows. Scatter cushions are not a substitute for a proper pillow. Give each guest at least one real pillow, plus a spare.

Put the storage to work

One of the best things about a corner sofa bed with storage is that the bedding can live right where it is needed. Before the holidays, wash and dry your guest bedding, fold it neatly and keep it in the storage compartment, so making up the bed takes minutes rather than a trip to the loft.

The Dover's corner section lifts to reveal a compartment of 130 × 90 × 41 cm, which is enough for a full double duvet, pillows and spare bedding. The Glasgow has bedlinen storage built into the chaise. If you are short on space, see our tips on using sofa storage without wasting space.

Keep a small “guest kit” in there too: a spare phone charger, a small towel set and a note with the Wi-Fi password. Guests appreciate not having to ask.

Freshen up the upholstery

A sofa that has spent the year as the family's favourite seat will benefit from a quick refresh before it becomes a bed.

Vacuum thoroughly, including down the sides and under the seat cushions, using a soft upholstery brush.
Check the care label before using any cleaner or water, and test on a hidden area first.
Air the room. Open a window for a while on a dry day so the sofa and bedding smell fresh.

For step-by-step advice, read our guides on how to clean a fabric sofa bed and how to care for a velvet corner sofa bed.

Make the living room feel like a guest room

When your guest bed is in the living room, small touches help your visitors feel at home rather than camped out.

Give them some light. A lamp within reach of the bed is much better than a bright ceiling light.
Clear a surface. A side table or a cleared shelf gives guests somewhere to put glasses, a phone and a book.
Think about privacy. If the living room opens onto the hallway or kitchen, agree a time when the household will keep out in the morning, or add a simple screen or curtain.
Keep it warm, not hot. Leave a little space between the open bed and any radiator, and put a spare blanket nearby rather than turning the heating up all night.

Our article on guest room sofa bed ideas that save space has more ways to make a small room work hard.

Think about who is sleeping on it

Not every guest has the same needs. Older relatives may prefer a sleeping surface that is not too low and is easy to get on and off. Couples will want enough width for two, so compare the sleeping area against your own bed at home. Children are usually happy anywhere, but a single chair bed can be a handy extra if you are short of space. See our guide to chair beds and 1 seater sofa beds for small rooms.

If you like the idea of extra comfort for guests who stay up late watching films, the Ashanti 3-Way Electronic Corner Sofa Bed moves between a corner sofa, a lounging position and a bed, with an electronic relax mechanism you adjust at the touch of a button. The Glasgow, shown in the photo above with its bed pulled out, has three adjustable headrests, which makes it comfortable for sitting up with a cup of tea in the morning.

Plan the morning reset

The big advantage of a sofa bed is getting your living room back during the day. Agree a simple routine with your guests: strip or fold the bedding, pop it back in the storage compartment, close the bed and put the cushions back. On most corner sofa beds this only takes a few minutes, and it keeps the space usable for everyone over the festive period.

The bottom line

A corner sofa bed can make a really comfortable guest bed at Christmas with a little planning. Test the mechanism early, measure the sleeping area before buying bedding, add a topper and proper pillows, keep the bedding in the built-in storage, and give the upholstery a quick refresh. If you are comparing models, browse the Corner Sofa Beds Mega Sale and the wider Corner Sofa Beds With Storage range, and send us a message on live chat if you have any questions about sizes or sleeping areas.