Do you know being an ideal house guest needs certain etiquette from you?

Being unobtrusive to the comforts of your host, is the most important criterion of an ideal house guest. Not all of us are lucky to have guests, who give us pleasure and joy in meeting them.

I had a real bad experience with a friend of mine. It was 8.00 in the morning – my peak hour of endless household work.

The doorbell rang shrilly. I opened the door with exasperation, as I was not expecting anyone at this time of the day. My close friend stood there with her two children and another relative of hers.

Well, I was happy to see her. But I could not understand why she did not call me beforehand to inform me about her visit.

Her uninformed visit made things worse. Since it was my weekly cleaning day, the house looked cluttered and disorganized. Things were scattered all over the place.

“I am planning a week’s stay with you” my friend smiled at me.

I swallowed my frustration hurriedly, and invited my friend and her relatives in. I swiftly finished my cleaning and rushed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for them. Her children ran around the house making a ruckus. They plucked the flowers from my favorite plants.

My friend’s children also made a mess of everything. The intense noise they made, jarred my ears.

The one week stay of my friend, made me completely sapped of energy. I sank in my sofa with relieved exhaustion when they left.

“That was really a very bad experience,” I told myself.

My friend did everything which an ideal house guest will never do. She did not control her children from making a mess. She also came uninformed.

What should have been a pleasant stay, was transformed into a terrifying one, because my friend did not follow the basic etiquette of an ideal house guest. 

You must understand one important fact, when you are planning to stay in a relative’s house.

You might be a close relative\friend to the host. This does not give you any right to barge into their house, without any information.

As an ideal house guest, you need to follow certain basic etiquette which makes your host love your stay with them.

Here are the top 10 etiquette of a good house guest

1. Inform about your plans

Inform your host the day and time of your arrival.

You should also tell your host, the number of days you will be staying with them.

Ask your hosts, if they have any other plans.

Be prepared to change your plans, if it clashes with theirs.

This basic information makes your host well prepared for your stay.

It is the topmost quality of an ideal house guest.

2. Abide by their timings

Always be ready, when breakfast\lunch\dinner is served.

Never say you will eat later, as this makes the household work drag on and on for your host.

Appreciate the food served.

Do not make criticizing comments about the food, in the name of being frank.

Your unthinking comments, will definitely hurt your host.

3. Keep things neat

Do not make a mess of the room, you are staying.

Do not strew towels and soiled clothes around.

Keep your suitcase tucked away neatly in a place which does not interfere in the movements of your host.

Never leave the tap dripping water.

Always use the dustbin to throw your trash in. And empty the trash before checking out.

4. ASK YOUR CHILDREN TO BEHAVE

Children sometimes never know how to behave. So, you must teach your children perfect manners. Your host should not feel that your children are a pain in the neck. You might be indulgent to the faults of your children. You cannot expect your host to feel the same.

Before your visit, you should guide your children about the dos and don’ts of your stay.

Your children should not switch on the TV, without asking permission of your host.

They should not open the fridge, and help themselves.

Your children should not talk rudely with the family members of your host.

Running around the place, and making themselves a nuisance is a big no.

5. HELP THE HOST

Do not sit idle while your host is slogging alone.  

As an ideal house guest, help your host in washing dishes.

Clean the dining table.

You can also help in cutting the vegetables, or doing small helpful household work.

It will be well appreciated by your host.

6. BRING YOUR OWN THINGS

Bring your own personal toiletries. It is not proper manners to ask your host for your basic needs.

Bring extra towels, as you might need it when you go to the beach.

Do not ask for comb\toothpaste\soap and other toiletries, which is very embarrassing for the host.

7. DO NOT TAKE TOO MANY RIGHTS

Do not barge into the personal time of your host.

Be in your room doing your own thing, when your host is having personal time with the family.

Do not use the things which belong to your host without their permission.

Do not enter the personal room of your host. It is pure bad manners.

8. KEEP YOUR THINGS NEAT

Keep the room allotted to you neat and tidy.

Keep your things in place.

Do not take your personal things all around the house.

Never behave as if it was your own home, and make your stay miserable for the host.

9. TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

Switch off lights and fan, when you leave the room.

Make sure the bathroom lights are switched off.

Never watch TV late in the night, as the noise might be disturbing to your host.

10. THANK THEIR HOSPITALITY

After your stay is over tidy up the room, you stayed in.

Keep things in proper place.

Thank your host for the hospitality.

Tell them how much you enjoyed your stay.

Invite them to your home.

Always remember to send a thanking email\ card to complete your obligation as an ideal house guest.

Conclusion

“Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.” –  Benjamin Franklin

It is good etiquette to be as unobtrusive as possible, during your stay as a guest in another house.

Your behavior should be such, that it makes your host want you to visit them again.