What bugs you about being a guest in someone else's house?

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

For me it's people who don't have a waste receptacle in every room, or at least very close by. I shed a lot of hair and I hate just dropping it on the floor. Or you blow your nose and there's nowhere to put the used kleenex except your pocket.

Also bathroom doors that don't have locks, in houses with little kids who are really interested in seeing what you're doing in the bathroom. Taking a piss? A shower? Kids want to watch.

[Phil]

When I visit my aunt and uncle they have FOX Noise on the TV all the time. I hate that.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Oh yeah, a couple times I've visited my brother when he had NPR on all the time. It was kind of torturous. Whenever he left the room I would surreptitiously turn down the volume just a little.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

And a friend of mine who had CNBC on all the time. Wow. Total torture. Mindless bullshit financial tidbits like a stream of diarrhea.

[Mark]

When you crash on the sofa and wake up hours earlier than them. Or when they leave you there for ages by yourself and you can't help but notice that none of the pasta or anything was actually cleaned up, smoke ashes are everywhere, your actually on the bed and they come back later to find you dancing with a mop and/or broom after having done all the dishes and made a nice decorative arrangement on all their assorted tables and surfaces, (also cleaned), after you have completely cracked because the place is filthy and their damn I-pod has been stuck on loop and won't actually go off. Naturally it finally runs out of battery about two or three minutes before they barge in and you're too gone to care. I should also point out that I had basically been living there for about a week at that point and hadn't really got a change of clothes left or at all and was maybe, kinda...sorta... naked...

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Okay!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Running out of toilet paper in someone else's house. Stock up before your guests arrive!

Omg, the worst time that happened to me was in Germany a long time ago. I will not go into the details. It's funny in retrospect. Only in retrospect.

[Anthea]

Everything! I can't stand being a guest in someone's house because I always feel uncomfortable. Plus, I'm so eccentric and idiosyncratic and I have misophonia, which most people don't even know what that is and look at you odd when you ask them to turn on some white noise.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Anthea, I have misophonia too.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

In fact misophonia is why I can't listen to NPR, pretty much.

[Félix]

WHAT? YOU HAVE WHAT?

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

It's okay, typing doesn't bother me. Unless I can actually hear it.

[Félix]

I'm sorry for your affliction. I get that at times, too.

[Cynthia]

Sherri wrote: "Hm, I rarely have problems staying in someone else's house, since I try not to visit where I'm not comfortable (Issues, I have them). When I visit Jammies, for instance, the worst I can say is tha..."

Lemon pound cake, good bacon and books! I want to go stay at Jammies' house!

[Mark]

Sherri wrote: "Mark, if you clean, you can be naked at my house any time. Just watch out for the cats -- they like dangly toys."

I'll do it but I might go all broom-jitsu on your feline housemates.

[Mary JL]

If I come to visit, I do not want to hear Tv or radio--let's explore the lost art of conversation!

I can stand say a half hour newscast or something but some people leave their Tv on all the time for background noise!

Also, I am not a pet person. Enjoy YOUR pets but keep them under control!

[Stina]

There is nothing worse than getting a bad belly feeling and then being forced to use the tiny powder room that is just off the living room. Ugh.

I love when I am good enough friends with the person to let them know that I don't even care if they cleaned their master bathroom, but I am going in there RIGHT NOW.

[Mark]

Stina wrote: "There is nothing worse than getting a bad belly feeling and then being forced to use the tiny powder room that is just off the living room. Ugh.

I love when I am good enough friends with the pers..."

Yep...That one annoys me too and yes I do love barging into peoples master bedrooms because you are just that comfortable with them.

[Stina]

BunWat wrote: "I get bugged when the whole house stinks of air fresheners and scented candles and scent sticks..."

Agreed! I do have one Scentsy thing, but mostly I just bake to make this house smell good.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

It bugs me when I can't figure out how to work the shower. Figuring out strange showers isn't one of my strong suits. Everyone should have a separate fixture for hot and cold and I should be able to twist them separately.

[Félix]

Luddite.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Bolshevik.

[Sally, la reina]

I don't like visiting the homes of people who don't drink coffee. That's just weird and wrong.
At least have a little one cup maker and a tin of Folger's for others.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

How about when you go to someone's house and they don't offer you anything to eat or drink...okay, maybe it's not mealtime so there's no food on offer, but you've got to offer someone at least a beverage. Coffee, tea, soda, water, whatever!

And then there are the people who have their special stashes of food or drink that are off limits to guests. Like maybe they buy a really expensive brand of something and they will not share. And you know them well enough that you can open their refrigerator, and you see the thing in there, but they have never offered it to you.

[Jammies]

Cynthia wrote: "Sherri wrote: "Hm, I rarely have problems staying in someone else's house, since I try not to visit where I'm not comfortable (Issues, I have them). When I visit Jammies, for instance, the worst I can say is tha..."

Lemon pound cake, good bacon and books! I want to go stay at Jammies' house! "

*note to self* Remember to provide refresher course in where household necessities are next year!

SisterCyn, 297 W. P___ T___ E___, Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Just give me 24 hours notice to send the dust bunnies into hiding. :)

[[deleted user]]

Keep them coming guys. I am making lists, just in case one of you comes to visit.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Jammies has dust bunnies ?!?!?

[Jammies]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Jammies has dust bunnies ?!?!?"

Large colonies of them, who worship me as their creator-goddess.

[Jammies]

They were well-behaved because I didn't let them drink while you were here. Thank you again for being the BEST. GUESTS. EVAH. and sharing your sweetie dog with me (and for letting your husband walk around improving the scenery and the scent of the house).

[Phil]

Dirty towels.

Not unwashed, just stained.

Ewww.

[Jim]

Gail wrote: "Keep them coming guys. I am making lists, just in case one of you comes to visit."

I coming to visit sometime, but I'll just take what I get.

[evie]

I hate it if there isn't a hand towel for guests in the bathroom. I'm not going to use the soggy bath towel behind the door.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Oh, agreed! Yucky yucky yucky.

[Sally, la reina]

Jim, when are you going to Colorado?

[Jim]

I think the last week in August.

[evie]

Some people only have soy milk. It tastes lousy in coffee.

[Jim]

Sally wrote: "Jim, when are you going to Colorado?"

So, are you going to be around for me to stop by?

[Cynthia]

evie wrote: "Some people only have soy milk. It tastes lousy in coffee."

Dark Chocolate Almond Milk is wonderful in coffee! You can have the soy milk. Not good.

[Helena]

I dislike visiting friends when you can’t leave. My friend has a fancy lock on her door that requires a combination to be opened and locked again. I didn’t know it, so I had to stay at her house until noon when she rolled out of bed. And I didn’t even have a book.

Also, when the proper cutlery (or napkin) is not provided at dinner time and you have to ask for one, possibly making your hosts feel boorish.

Oh, and Jammies? I’m coming to your house for lemon cake and bacon.

[Sarah]

I was going to say that I don't know of anything that bothers me about being a guest, but now that Helena mentioned it, I have to agree with her on her first point. Getting locked in while your host sleeps and/or goes to work is frustrating.

Now I'll go back to my love of the houseguest-host experience.
I love having people stay at my house. I'm happy that my bathroom is finally repainted and guest-worthy again. I have stayed on the couches of friends and strangers from Redmond to Rammstein. I'm a quiet houseguest (unless you want a serenade) and I think people who offer a weary musician a place to rest are awesome.

[janine]

It bugs me when I'm a guest at someone's house and I'm the only one awake.

[Sally, la reina]

I'm having a houseguest tonight.


So what should I do?

[Phil]

Put out CLEAN towels, give them a key so they can go in/out as desired, make sure there are ample supplies in the bathroom, bake a lemon cake and stock up on bacon for breakfast.

Easy-peasy.

[Phil]

And turn off FOX.

[Sally, la reina]

No key.

[Sally, la reina]

Can I just make chocolate ice cream like I had been planning? I don't feel like lemon cake.

[Félix]

Low key?

[Mark]

and clean to avoid naked broom dancing...

[Jim]

Now wonders how often Mark dresses his broom to dance with it.

[Mark]

Always...it wears the clothes I take off!