PSA if you are expecting out of town guests...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, all you "it's FINE!" posters...then what do *you* consider to be the "bare minimum hosting duties"?

Yes, I would make the bed and put out towels. However, as a working mom, I know that time gets away from you and that there are days where I can barely breathe to get everything done. I also know that when I am staying at someone else's house, they are already being kind and welcoming just inviting me to stay. If I have to make a bed or two, whatever.

I also do the dishes, get up and make coffee for everyone, take everyone out to a meal and be sure to be out of the house for the majority of a day. Like a good guest.

yes
yes
yes
Sometimes crap happens -- and if you cannot be understanding of your host, maybe you need to stay somewhere else.
If you have a host who has bedbugs and dirty sheets, maybe you need to stay somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

I agree, OP. It's very rude of them. It sends a clear message that you aren't important to them.
They could have said no to hosting, but they didn't. Because they said yes, you didn't make other arrangements at a hotel.

I don't know what it is with DCUM these days, excusing poor manners, AND pouncing on the person who dares to utter anything about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree, OP. It's very rude of them. It sends a clear message that you aren't important to them.
They could have said no to hosting, but they didn't. Because they said yes, you didn't make other arrangements at a hotel.

I don't know what it is with DCUM these days, excusing poor manners, AND pouncing on the person who dares to utter anything about it.

And what is the point of uttering anything to DCUM? We aren't hosting her ungrateful a**!

[Anonymous]

Some of you sound like terrible "hosts." It's pretty sad, when all people need to do to be a decent host is provide a clean, made bed, a clean bathroom, and decently clean common areas. It's not that hard. If you can't do it, don't offer to host, or say no when people ask if they can stay with you.

You don't have to be Martha, but you have to provide a CLEAN BED...you know, like a grown-up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of you sound like terrible "hosts." It's pretty sad, when all people need to do to be a decent host is provide a clean, made bed, a clean bathroom, and decently clean common areas. It's not that hard. If you can't do it, don't offer to host, or say no when people ask if they can stay with you.

You don't have to be Martha, but you have to provide a CLEAN BED...you know, like a grown-up.

Who on here says they are offering a dirty bed? Folks have said that there have been times the bed has been unmade, then it gets made with clean sheets. It just is not always before the guests arrive...because...you know...sometimes stuff happens.

[Anonymous]

OP here - I am also a working mom. I always have the guest room ready to go. As soon as the prior guest leaves, I wash all the sheets, towels, and blankets and wipe down the guest bathroom, and that evening I make the bed and fold the towels and reset the room. I love knowing that my guest bed room is always ready to go - it's one less thing to worry about when company is coming. I realize this is not possible if you don't have a spare, dedicated guest room). I think it's good manners to welcome your guests with a ready room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I am also a working mom. I always have the guest room ready to go. As soon as the prior guest leaves, I wash all the sheets, towels, and blankets and wipe down the guest bathroom, and that evening I make the bed and fold the towels and reset the room. I love knowing that my guest bed room is always ready to go - it's one less thing to worry about when company is coming. I realize this is not possible if you don't have a spare, dedicated guest room). I think it's good manners to welcome your guests with a ready room.

It is.
It's also exceptionally bad manners to bitch about the host who is taking in you and your family for a few days.

I'd call it even.

[Anonymous]

We've had a lot of visitors in the past year since we had a baby, my mom always offers to put the sheets on the bed for me. I always say we'll see how things go, but I always get them on the bed for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I am also a working mom. I always have the guest room ready to go. As soon as the prior guest leaves, I wash all the sheets, towels, and blankets and wipe down the guest bathroom, and that evening I make the bed and fold the towels and reset the room. I love knowing that my guest bed room is always ready to go - it's one less thing to worry about when company is coming. I realize this is not possible if you don't have a spare, dedicated guest room). I think it's good manners to welcome your guests with a ready room.

It is.
It's also exceptionally bad manners to bitch about the host who is taking in you and your family for a few days.

I'd call it even.

I don't think you understand manners pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I am also a working mom. I always have the guest room ready to go. As soon as the prior guest leaves, I wash all the sheets, towels, and blankets and wipe down the guest bathroom, and that evening I make the bed and fold the towels and reset the room. I love knowing that my guest bed room is always ready to go - it's one less thing to worry about when company is coming. I realize this is not possible if you don't have a spare, dedicated guest room). I think it's good manners to welcome your guests with a ready room.

Well, if you think your hosts have such poor manners, why bother staying with them? Who wants guests who think a set of sheets is enough to get them bad mouthed on the internet?!

[Anonymous]

I am a wonderful host but not everyone likes to have people over. The last time my husband and son stayed with his sister and her family she asked him to pick up an air mattress. This is after he had driven 7 hours. Her guest room had turned into a playroom.

My husband is 47 and has not slept on an air mattress since college. I told him he needed to call the closet Marriott ASAP.

[Anonymous]

Maybe also don't roll in right at (after?) your kids bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I am also a working mom. I always have the guest room ready to go. As soon as the prior guest leaves, I wash all the sheets, towels, and blankets and wipe down the guest bathroom, and that evening I make the bed and fold the towels and reset the room. I love knowing that my guest bed room is always ready to go - it's one less thing to worry about when company is coming. I realize this is not possible if you don't have a spare, dedicated guest room). I think it's good manners to welcome your guests with a ready room.

Well, if you think your hosts have such poor manners, why bother staying with them? Who wants guests who think a set of sheets is enough to get them bad mouthed on the internet?!

I don't know if you realize this but...this forum is anonymous and you can post things here without actually naming anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I am also a working mom. I always have the guest room ready to go. As soon as the prior guest leaves, I wash all the sheets, towels, and blankets and wipe down the guest bathroom, and that evening I make the bed and fold the towels and reset the room. I love knowing that my guest bed room is always ready to go - it's one less thing to worry about when company is coming. I realize this is not possible if you don't have a spare, dedicated guest room). I think it's good manners to welcome your guests with a ready room.

Well, if you think your hosts have such poor manners, why bother staying with them? Who wants guests who think a set of sheets is enough to get them bad mouthed on the internet?!

I don't know if you realize this but...this forum is anonymous and you can post things here without actually naming anyone.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have guests and family coming to stay with you from out of town, and they are coming in late with, say, a baby or two...PLEASE HAVE THEIR BED READY. Perhaps it a pet peeve, but I just had a looong trip. I want to put the kids to sleep, and I want to go to sleep. I don't want to hear that the sheets are in the wash, and we just have to dry them and then make up the beds. You've known we were coming for a month.

This is pet peeve of mine, especially when we've been guilted into driving a long way so someone else can have a photo opp and show the neighbors they hosted.

People who spend a long time talking about how important a holiday is, and no time preparing for it should not be hosting. They should be guests.

Now I either stay at a hotel or have it at my own home and say, "We really don't want to put you out. I know we can be a handful...(needing beds)" or "The kids really sleep better in their own beds."