House guests can bring an apartment renter some real pride of place. One of the nicest things you can do for a friend or family member is offer them a place to stay at your apartment if they’re visiting from out of town, or if they’re just in need of a temporary place to crash. Hosting house guests can be a lot of fun — but what happens if they overstay their welcome?
There’s a famous Plautus quote: “No guest is so welcome in a friend’s house that he will not become a nuisance after three days.” While that may not exactly be true for everybody, Plautus is making a good point — having house guests over can go from good to bad in the blink of an eye, often because they’ve just simply stayed too long. That can make for a really awkward situation.
If you’re hosting some friends or family members at your apartment, here are some tips for making sure things go smoothly with your house guests:
- If you have roommates, you should absolutely check in with them first. Tell them there’s a possibility that guests will be staying over at your apartment. Ask if that would be okay, and if so, how long they may stay.
- Talk to your house guests before they arrive, or preferably, before they make final plans. Let them know how long they may stay with you and be upfront about your house rules.
- You may also want to fill them in on your apartment complex’s rules.
- Going off the previous tip, find out what your house guests’ expectations are. Will they expect you to pick them up from the airport? Do they want you to take them on a tour of the city? Will you be their only transportation? These are important things to know before they arrive so you can plan accordingly. If they will be relying on you for transportation and your work schedule doesn’t really allow it, be sure to give them a heads up.
- Be honest about your expectations, too. If you want your house guests to wash their own dishes and help around the house, you should tactfully mention that when you extend your invitation.
- Once plans are made, make sure you have a place for your house guests to sleep. If you have a small apartment and only have a couch to offer up for bed space, let your guests know so that they can make arrangements to bring an air mattress or a sleeping bag.
- Have clean towels ready for them.
- If you know of any of their favorite snacks or drinks (you can always ask them!), you could pick them up before your house guests arrive. They’ll appreciate your thoughtful gesture.
Laying out rules and being clear with your house guests before they even arrive can help make things go as smoothly as possible. After all, being a host should be enjoyable, not a source of frustration and stress.
If finding the right apartment for rent is what’s giving you stress, try out the free apartment search tools on our website! We’re a leading source for apartment listings nationwide, and you can also earn up to $200 in renter rewards just by finding a place with us.
