E-Mail This Article to a Friend Better off bed Alternative sleeping options for the spatially challenged BY CHRISTINE JUNGE

Maybe you got burned over the holidays, when you had too many house guests and too few beds. If you don’t want to repeat this humiliation now that spring break is near — bringing with it the prospect of near-strangers spontaneously showing up on your doorstep — you may want to start shopping. Luckily for those without the luxury of an extra bedroom and the money to furnish it, there are tons of storable and dual-purpose options out there.

For starters, there’s always the ubiquitous-in-a-college-town futon. Dream on Futon in Cambridge sells everything from the basic black-framed, solid-colored-cover futon ($209) to pieces you’d be hard-pressed to call futons, judging by their elegance and price. For example, the Rosebud frame ($689) features wicker-woven arms, a wooden base, and a solid cover. If you want something fancier to go with your wicker, you can get a custom cover ($300) made from the many materials the store has available. The Renaissance cover — depicting a scene of well-dressed people lounging by a lake — looks quite classy on the floor model.

If you want a futon-esque mattress without the frame, Urban Outfitters sells something called a bed roll ($100). It’s basically a twin-size futon mattress that folds in half and ties at the end for easy carrying or storage. The many design choices include light-blue satin with embroidered flowers and leaves, and retro-style with flowers in pinks, reds, and blues.

For those with a little less space, EMS sells sleeping bags that promise to keep your guests warm in even the draftiest of apartments. As long as you keep the thermostat set to at least 35 degrees, the flannel-lined sleeping bag ($59) should do the trick. If you think your guests might get on your nerves and be asked to sleep outside, you may need to throw down some extra bucks for the tundra sleeping bag ($159), which promises to keep them toasty even when the mercury drops to zero.

Another option for the space-impaired is an Aero Bed. These inflatable mattresses spring to life in about a minute when you use their built-in pump, and deflate to fit into a duffle bag. Macy’s sells the Original Aero Bed in twin, full, and queen ($99.98/$149.98/$199.98); the store’s Web site also offers the Raised Aero Bed ($199.99/$249.99/$299.99), with an inflatable box spring so guests are a bit more than two feet off the ground.

Once you know your guests are sleeping easily, you should too. But if not, Macy’s also sells an array of comforter-and-sheets sets ($59.99 and up) that will help you get your shuteye in style.

Where to get it:

• Dream on Futon, 830 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 864-6000.

• EMS, various locations; www.ems.com.

• Macy’s, 450 Washington Street, Boston, (617) 357-3000; www.macys.com.

• Urban Outfitters, 361 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 236-0088; 11 JFK Street, Cambridge, (617) 864-0070.