The holidays are just around the corner, and it may be your turn to host the holiday celebrations. You'll be racing around shopping, cooking, cleaning and -- well, trying to figure out where your guests will sleep.

If you only have one extra bedroom and several guests are planning on spending a night or two, you might consider renting a few hotel rooms. Or, you might treat yourself an early holiday gift by investing in a couple of futons that will last for many festivities to come.

Compared with other contemporary furniture designs, futons are relatively inexpensive. You can purchase for about $200 a metal frame and standard mattress. Many of the less expensive futon mattresses come in a standard white or black color. To spice them up, there is a wealth of low cost covers available in all colors and patterns. It is easy to install futon covers. Generally, they have a 3-sided zipper. You place the mattress inside the cover, zip it up, and you have created a futon design that matches your decor. Because they zip over the futon mattress, your cover will not slide off of the futon. Most futon covers are machine washable so you can keep them fresh or switch them out with different covers while the others are in the wash. Because futon covers are available in so many solid colors or print designs, you can easily mix or match or futon covers to fit any interior decorating scheme. Compliment your futon with some colorful throw pillows and you have created an attractive piece of furniture.

Unless you are getting a high-end futon design with a log or wicker frame, the metal futons do not take up a lot of room. You can tuck them into an alcove, maybe at the end of a hall, or in an empty corner of the living room. You can even put one in your home office without losing a lot of office space. When your visitors are ready for bed, simply flip the futons out into comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds. By night they are comfortable to sleep on and by day, are easily folded back into futon sofas that do not take up a lot of room.

After your guests leave, you have decorative sofas for your everyday life. And if you have to host next year's festivities, you'll be shopping, cleaning and busy in the kitchen - but you won't need to worry about where your guests will sleep.