'Snoop-proofing' my house
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Anonymous
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So, some family members are staying in our home to watch our children while we are at a bed-and-breakfast for one night. They are very nice to be doing this for us, and we are very grateful.
Because it's overnight and the kids' rooms are upstairs (one is a 1yo), they will be sleeping in our master bedroom, and using the master bathroom as well. Downside--one of the family members is something of a snoop, and is a TERRIBLE gossip. Like, talks about other family members' private lives very freely during every visit, and you know what they say: if they talk about others to you, they'll be talking about you to others. Besides the very obvious (hide the intimate stuff and the prescription medications), what can I do to snoop-proof my house? Any advice from people who have dealt with family members who are snoopers and has been through this before is much appreciated! |
Anonymous
| Okay, aside from pharms and possibly sex toys - what are you afraid of them finding? |
Anonymous
| Leave notes: "Hi Larla! We'd appreciate it if you respected our privacy." |
Anonymous
TBH, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that this person would look at financial info if she "happened" to find it. |
Anonymous
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We keep our financial information in a file cabinet and keep in locked. You might want to do the same.
However, hopefully they are busy enough with your kids that there will be no time for snooping. |
Anonymous
We have this problem with my parents. My mom would read my journal if she found it. She read through letters my DH wrote to me! We have a locking filing cabinet and put personal papers in there when my parents visit. |
Anonymous
| Remains me of the time a friend called me from the emergency room. No time to explain. Asked that I please go to her apartment and hide anything her mother shouldn't see. |
Anonymous
| You could get a locking file cabinet and just put anything personal that you can think of in there, lock it, and bring the key with you. |
Anonymous
| I would completely put extra stuff around instead off hiding stuff. |
Anonymous
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I will shortly be in the same situation.
We have a messy house. My husband has hoarding tendencies and cannot for the life of him organize his stuff. We are in the process of filing all the paperwork he should have organized for years. My relative can snoop all she wants, info will be right there under her nose but hard to go through 
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Anonymous
| You could also make a point, going forward, of cutting this person off at the first hint of gossiping and say that you will not listen to others' private business coming from his/her mouth and that you need to be able to count on having your own privacy respected if you are going to have any sort of meaningful relationship now or in the future. You could say this directly before the visit even commences. |
Anonymous
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I would go the other way - leave items that would make gossip fun.
Make up a journal - and leave it out. Talk about relationships with neighbors and the crazy parties and drugs that everyone uses. Create a fake document about an inheritance that your spouse is getting.... |
Anonymous
THIS. If you don't want her to gossip about you, you can't freely listen to gossip about others. It's the old adage: treat others the way you wish to be treated. If enough of your family members take this approach, she won't have anyone to gossip to anymore (besides maybe the friends she has where she lives). |
Anonymous
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I put things in a carry-on suitcase, which I bought a $10 lock on Amazon for, and then put the carry-on inside a larger unlocked suitcase. It looks inconspicuous.
It's a lot more make-shift than a locked cabinet, but for a friend's short visit, it served my purposes well. |
Anonymous
| You can also put your stuff in a suitcase and keep it in your car trunk. |