Do’s and Don’ts for Entertaining House Guests

Someone once bluntly stated, “Fish and houseguests begin to stink after 3 days.” Well that sentiment may be a little harsh, but there are plenty of ways to ruin a stay for yourself and your visiting guests. Regardless of whether you invited them or they invited themselves, if you are stuck hosting them it’s always best to try and make the best of it.

Photo by: Jesse Yardley

In the spirit of being a gracious host, follow these do’s and don’ts of entertaining friends and family who are visiting:

DO…

…set out the basic bathroom supplies for the houseguest when they come over to stay. This means laying out a clean towel and washcloth along with a clean bar of soap and shampoo if necessary. The cost and time investment to you is minimal, but your houseguest will appreciate the effort very much.

…let your guest know where they are sleeping. It can be very annoying to the guest to be left in the dark as to where they can stay the night.

…inform your houseguest of where they can store their things if it is not where they will be sleeping. It can be a nuisance though to have a house guests travel bag and clothing strewn about the living room. Let them know they can put their stuff in a corner or a closet, etc.

…plan out a number of activities for the time they are going to be staying. Show them the sites and sounds of the city.

…recommend a number of activities for your guests to enjoy in your absence. Leave them with a key so they can come and go as they please when you are out at work or running errands.

DON’T

…go out with other friends and leave them at home. It’s only polite you at least offer to take them with you when you go out.

…ask them to do menial tasks. They are your visiting guests; treat them as such.

…Keep them awake if they are sleeping in a common space. Too often houseguests who are staying on the couch have to wait until the rest of the apartment has gone to sleep before they can get some rest. If your guest is getting tired and would like to sleep, give them a quiet place to do so.

Following just a few of these basic visiting and entertaining tips will help to avoid those unpleasant and unnecessary houseguest quarrels.

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