Houseguests are a part of life and no one wants to become a headline that reads: “Stabbed to death in home early yesterday during an argument with a house guest.” Make them happy and comfortable, and the way to do it is all in the details. Here are some tips to consider the next time guests cross your threshold.
If a baby is coming along for the ride, think about renting or borrowing a crib, playpen or stroller so the parents don’t have to haul it all with their luggage. Make sure the crib’s mattress fits snugly within the frame and the bars are no more than two and three-eighths inches apart, for safety’s sake. (Even if you don’t want to see the people again, you certainly don’t want to have anything to do with killing their child!) Have the crib ready when the guests arrive. Babies are usually tired and cranky at the end of a trip.
Silence a chiming clock. You may have gotten used to that thing on the mantle-piece that gongs after the passage of every fifteen minutes, but it could drive a guest crazy. Every house has its particular noises; warn your guests about yours. If you have pets that wander or strange relatives that may do the same while howling at the moon, tell your guests so that they may be prepared. Show guests how to turn off the alarm system if they accidentally trip the switch. (The local police will appreciate that as well as everyone sleeping in your home.) Demonstrate how to tune in cable and use the VCR. Keep them busy and they will leave you alone, which should be your mantra or theme song or something like that.
If the arriving guest has given you a present that you really can’t stand but don’t dare throw out, bring it out from the back of the closet and put it in plain view. No matter how horrible it is, you can remove it the moment your guest leaves and it will make whoever brought it to you very happy.
In short, leave ‘em laughing and understanding that they too will be going through the same thing when YOU pop in on them for a visit perhaps sooner than they would even like!
Related Reading:
“Whimsical touches for Plain bedding and Fabrics”
http://forums.families.com/kitchen-baths-amp-bedrooms,f392
“The Guest Bathroom: Scary Stuff”