Ask Mable: House Guests

F.R. asks,

““Dear Mable,
I have family coming to stay with me over the August long weekend. I’m excited for the company and at the same time dreading the work afterwards. You see my family always leaves a mess behind for me to clean up. How do I ask them to clean up after themselves without creating problems?””

Dear F.R.,

It's nice that we can have family visiting with us again!

To answer your question, your family might not know what's expected of them if there hasn't been any explicit communication. A few years ago, my family and I stayed at a bed and breakfast in New Westminster BC. It was a lovely place, and the breakfast was worth every penny we paid. At check-in, our host communicated what was expected of us during our stay and at check out. She asked us if we could strip the beds and have all the dirty towels on the floor before we left. That left us with no confusion about what we had to do during our stay and on our last day before we left. You can do the same with your family when they arrive. No one likes being a burden to their loved ones, and I'm sure they will appreciate it.

Good luck and enjoy your time with your family!

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