Visiting House Guests - How long is too long?

How long do you allow family and friends to stay with you before they start driving you crazy?

  • Total voters
    36
Too many variables.

Are they picky eaters? I had guests once who couldn't drink their coffee because I only had 2% milk on hand. Another one didn't like the brand of pomegranate juice I had on hand. So they aren't free-range eggs or organic carrots or the "right kind" of steel-cut oats. Deal with it, folks. It's not going to kill you.

Are they bored easily? Do they want to be constantly carted around? If you have some activities planned for them but they don't want to do them, can they suggest other things they'd like to do or do they just hang around looking disappointed? Can they amuse themselves if you have other obligations?

Are these people who fall apart if things go wrong? If it rains on a beach day? If a particular attraction isn't open on Mondays?

Can they take things as they come? My guest room used to have twin beds. One couple HAD to have the beds pushed together for just a one-night stay. It involved moving furniture. They couldn't sleep five feet apart for one night....

I would never expect a guest to scrub the bathtub or clean the toilets or mop the floor. But do they at least take their coffee cup to the sink? Do they at least offer to help with after-meal clean up? I never accept the help, but it's nice to ask.

I had some wonderful guests once who I transported to and from the airport and let them use my extra car while they were here and in return, we went out to wonderful restaurants (they're "foodies") I would have never gone to on my own and I was never allowed to pay for anything. They could have stayed for a month.
 
jujube said:
Too many variables.

Are they picky eaters? I had guests once who couldn't drink their coffee because I only had 2% milk on hand. Another one didn't like the brand of pomegranate juice I had on hand. So they aren't free-range eggs or organic carrots or the "right kind" of steel-cut oats. Deal with it, folks. It's not going to kill you.

Are they bored easily? Do they want to be constantly carted around? If you have some activities planned for them but they don't want to do them, can they suggest other things they'd like to do or do they just hang around looking disappointed? Can they amuse themselves if you have other obligations?

Are these people who fall apart if things go wrong? If it rains on a beach day? If a particular attraction isn't open on Mondays?

Can they take things as they come? My guest room used to have twin beds. One couple HAD to have the beds pushed together for just a one-night stay. It involved moving furniture. They couldn't sleep five feet apart for one night....

I would never expect a guest to scrub the bathtub or clean the toilets or mop the floor. But do they at least take their coffee cup to the sink? Do they at least offer to help with after-meal clean up? I never accept the help, but it's nice to ask.

I had some wonderful guests once who I transported to and from the airport and let them use my extra car while they were here and in return, we went out to wonderful restaurants (they're "foodies") I would have never gone to on my own and I was never allowed to pay for anything. They could have stayed for a month.
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jujube, excellent reply, I can relate to every word in your post.
 

WE haven't had a guest stay at our home in years, with the exception of our immediate family. We all bounce around from house to house during the year. We use everything from beds, to couches, to air mattresses. No ceremony with our crowd. If someone's visiting from our Conn. family, their other siblings, and/or nieces and nephews (who live nearby) can be counted on to drop by for a visit. No one usually stay more than 2 or 3 days, but we all live within 100 miles of each other so it's easy to keep in physical touch.

As we're in our 80's, the kids move right into the kitchen and take care of feeding the crowd leaving my wife and I to just visit. Couldn't ask for a better group. They're all welcome any time.

Tougher for folks who are spread out all across the country or even tougher if overseas. For those folks, I would imagine, visits have to be a bit more structured and planned for.
 
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