Is there a gracious way to deal with surprise houseguests?

[HennysMom]

Quote:
GREAT ADVICE!

All of the above and then some of the others have posted!

You are not Motel 6 and you dont have to leave the light on for them!

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
GREAT ADVICE!

All of the above and then some of the others have posted!

You are not Motel 6 and you dont have to leave the light on for them!

I would not worry about them bad-mouthing you. After all they are doing it to you and YOU, MY DEAR, ARE ALLOWING IT.

 

[SterlingAcres]

That wouldn't happen here. But we have two crazy boys, 2 crazy dogs that occasionally try to kill each other, we're up at dawn working around the farm, we've got 'rules' that need to be followed while here.... Not that we haven't had company, but they don't like to stay long if they think they're required to help out around the house. Even washing dishes.
We've got some real rude relatives, so I don't feel bad being rude right back.

Good luck!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Tell them what my Father used to tell me:

"Let me know when you are thinking about coming down so I can MOVE !"

Yep, that pretty much says you Welcome to visit anytime !!

 

[pips&peeps]

I'm sorry, I have baby chicks in the guest room right now. It's too cold for them to be outside. It's rather smelly and dusty, maybe you would be more comfortable at the motel down the road.......

 

[spookyevilone]

That used to happen to me about twice a year, with family showing up completely unannounced and assuming they'd be staying at my house.

I started with a passive aggressive note in my annual family holiday letter - "I know several of you like to visit me, and while I love spending time with you, I absolutely need at least a week's notice before you arrive. I'm scheduled for a lot of activities this year and can't guarantee I'll be home or have space for you if I don't know you're coming."

That went right over the bow. I had one show up two months later with luggage in tow and a big beaming smile, "Surprise! I'm here to visit with you! Aren't you glad to see me?" and I responded with, "Oh - no, I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you and I'm not set up for guests right now. There's a hotel three blocks away. I put in the holiday letter that I need notice before people show up. I wish you'd called me a week ago to tell me - I could have arranged to have you but right now it's absolutely not going to work. Sorry!"

She wound up at a hotel. I got the obligatory snarky calls about that. I pointed out that I'd sent that letter to EVERYONE and warned them. If she couldn't take two minutes to read a holiday letter from her family.. and then they turned right around and lit into her about that. Karmic.

Six months later, another member of the family showed up from overseas, calling me from the airport to pick them up. I said I wasn't able to, asked why they were in town, googled the area, gave them the address of a cheap hotel near their activity - which, btw, was an hour from my house. I was expected to either loan them my car or chauffeur them around. No, thanks.

After a steady stream of politely but firmly turning people away at the door if they didn't arrange to stay at least a week in advance, I now have them trained. IIRC, it took about a year.

The ones I don't mind showing up unannounced are the siblings stationed overseas - sometimes they can't call in advance and show up at 3am from a 15+ hour flight - they know where the key is, and know they're always welcome. I don't care when they show up or if they call me first, or if I'm busy or if my house is a mess - as long as they come home.

-Spooky

 

[wegotchickens]

"Great, would love to have you stay. Have dinner on the table by 6pm, here's where the dishwasher soap is kept, and be sure to strip the bed before you leave.
After all, you're not guests, you're family."

We don't get a lot of extended stay guests. Wonder why?

 

[mrsengeseth]

Become nudists. Post naked day schedules on the door and hope they are prudish.

Get Hazmat suits. Insist that visitors put it on at the sidewalk. When they ask why tell them that the city hasn't finished the inspection since the last guy complained.

Or get a buncha shovels. When they arrive tell them they can help you get the rest of the bodies out of the yard. Before the neighbors start poking their noses into your business...again.

sorry, warped sense of humor.

 

[horsejody]

Try saying this:

Oh sure, you can stay in the guest room, but I have to warn you we have rats up there. I just haven't been able to get the exterminator out yet. There is one big rat that I have actually seen crawling across the bed. I think he lives in the mattress.

or....

Oh sure, you can stay in the guest room, but I have to warn you the last person that slept in the bed had head lice. I haven't had time to wash the sheets yet or spray it down.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
Agreed!!!

I gotta disagree with this. Maybe that is why I am so often considered a "best friend and relative" myself. I would NEVER drop in uninvited...even for an hour or two visit, much less days...on ANYONE! I even call my mother and my father before showing up at their houses and expect the same courtesy. I don't ever invite myself to anyones house either. I wait for THEM to invite me. WOW....I can't even imagine what it would require to be so rude and thoughtless to anyone!!!