Being a guest in a friends or family member’s home can be a great way to spend time with the people you care about during the Holidays or really any other time of the year.
Last week I posted some pointers for anyone who may be hosting so I felt it was only natural to also give some friendly reminders and pointers for anyone who might be house guests.
It's not difficult to be a good house guest but sometimes we need a reminder or two!  If you’re planning on being a house guest for any length of time keeping these points in mind will help make it an awesome and happy time for everyone!
Remembering Proper House Guest Etiquette
- Let your host know how long you’ll be staying and be specific with dates of arrival and departure.
- Make certain that before you arrive you make it clear who will be coming with you. If you’re bringing along anyone in addition to yourself it’s best to make that clear before arrangements are made for the visit.
- Make sure that you arrive when you said you would. Do your best to avoid showing up unexpectedly early or super late – like really late – like the next day kind of late.
- Even if you’re not staying during the Holidays it would be nice to bring a small gift of appreciation to give to your host.
- Keep in mind that since you’re in someone else’s home they’re probably going to have different daily habits than what you’re used to. It’s best to adapt to their preferences for when the lights go out at night, when they get up, etc.
- Do your best to keep any area that you will be using neat and tidy – this includes your sleeping area and the bathroom you’ll be using, etc. I should also mention that if your host has several bathrooms you should always ask which bathroom you can use. Some people have a bathroom specifically set up for their guests. Also if there’s only one bathroom make sure that you check with your host as to when is the most convenient time to use it.
- If the host has a pet do not feed it table scraps unless the host says it’s ok.
- Offer to help around the house at mealtimes, etc. You could even offer to make a meal yourself.
- Please be careful about assuming that everything in the fridge or elsewhere is there for the taking. Â If the host says to help yourself then go ahead.
- Always be respectful of any cultural, personal or family differences of your host.
Being a good house guest isn’t difficult so long as you remember to be respectful, courteous and follow the house rules. If you ever unsure about something when you’re staying in someone’s home always ask.
What’s your pet peeve when it comes to having house guests?
