If you have house guests and you put them in your kids rooms.....

[ChristusG]

MIL and nephew (15 years old) are arriving today and staying with us for 2 weeks. Our guest room, where MIL will be sleeping, is now the new baby's nursery. We have a full size bed in there. Though baby doesn't sleep in that room, all of her things are in there....changing table, closet full of clothes, drawers of diapers and wipes and burp cloths, etc.

 

Nephew will be staying on a cot in the playroom. Again, my older girls do not sleep in there (we have a family bedroom) but the closet is full of their clothes, they have bins of clothes, and all of their toys are in there, etc.

 

How do you handle this? Do you take a bunch of clothes, diapers, wipes, kids comb, some toys, etc and put them into the family bedroom so that you don't have to constantly be going into the guests rooms and disturbing them? Do you just let them have their own private space? Or do you just go in when necessary and get the items that you need? I could be going into the nursery 15 times a day for various clothes changes, diaper changes, or getting a clean burp cloth.

 

I know that the guests will not be closed up in the rooms most of the time, but they do have all of their things in there and sitting around. Not sure if I should just let them have their space and go in as minimally as possible or just go in as I would usually do (unless they are in there, of course).

[Dobela]

I take out a supply so that I don't have to go in as many times as normal - although I may have to go in some. As far as the play room, I would designate a place for the guest to put things and instruct my children to leave those alone. I would not want all the toys to be brought out in crowded areas.

[Laurie4b]

I would move the diaper changing stuff out of the guest room, but otherwise I would assume that the guests will spend very little private time in their rooms, except at night. At night, I would get what I might need out of the room before they go in for the night. If you mil naps or anything, same thing--get the stuff out before she goes in. Sounds like it would be a colossal hassle for you to take everything out ahead of time. The reasons I'd move the changing stuff: 1) the smell can linger and it can bother older people and 2) you need to change diapers frequently and unexpectedly and 3) It would be more convenient to have your "station" intact than to do diaper-changing on the fly for 2 weeks.

[DusksAngel]

I'd probably do a little of both. Enough that if they were in there doing something I wouldn't have to disturb them, and would pick out clothes for the next day before their bed time as well.

[katilac]

I agree that you should take out the diaper changing stuff, and maybe a few extra outfits for baby. Other than that, just go in as needed.

[Friederike in Persia]

When we get more than one guest they often stay in our ds's room. When the guests are out of the room I ask maybe once or twice a day if I can please get something out, which has never been a problem. This is people we don't know too well. When close relatives are staying he gets to play in his room when they say it's ok.

[luvnlattes]

When my in-laws come to stay two of my boys give up their rooms. I have them bring the things I know they'll be using often into their brother's room where they'll be sleeping. They do go into their room for clean clothes each day but not much more than that. I want the guests to feel like they have a private area for their things.

 

In your situation, I would do what I needed to do to keep from going in MIL's room "15x a day" :) . But I see nothing wrong if you need to go in there once or twice a day.

 

Can you take the toy boxes out of the room where your nephew is staying? It doesn't seem like a big deal for the girls to go in and get their clothes each day, but I'd try to keep them from going in and out for toys all the time.

[MamaT]

My dil and grandson stay in my 14yo dd's room when they come. I have her get out what she thinks she will need, but it's not a big deal for her to go in and get things she forgot (as long as the baby is not napping!).

[J-rap]

For the baby, I'd probably try and take out enough diapers, etc., to make it through a full day and night. For older kids, I'd make sure to have anything they might need that night (PJ's, a book to read, etc.) and a change of clothes for the next morning -- mainly so guests would not need to be disturbed while sleeping, in case they go to bed early or sleep in late.

[TheApprentice]

I too have family that shares the kids rooms when they visit. I just take out a few days worth of clothes ahead of time. I wouldn't try to take two weeks worth. I also let them use our bathroom, so it stays fairly clean.;)

[rwjx2khsmj]

I try to take the necessary things out of the room. I usually just use a laundry basket to collect it all and carry it where I need it. If I need to go back in the room for something that's okay but I prefer to leave the room to my guests while they visit.

 

I also like to give my guests space to unpack by emptying a drawer or two and moving things to make space in the closet. I usually empty a drawer by putting everything in bags and sliding it under the bed or on the highest closet shelf.

[ChristusG]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll use the laundry basket idea, as someone suggested, and grab some clothes, diapers, wipes, and other things...enough for a couple of days.

 

I also think I'll have the kids put some of their favorite toys in a small bin so that they'll have something to play with in the mornings if our nephew is still sleeping.

 

We've never had more than one guest at a time. And when we did have a guest, we didn't have our newest baby, so we had a free guest room and never had to go into the guests room for anything. So this is new!

[Tess in the Burbs]

When my mom/stepdad stayed in my ds room we had him take out his clothes/shoes for the visit time needed as well as any favorite toy he might want during that time. He was always ok with it and it helped my mom not having my ds going in there all the time. It's a little hassle to move stuff but it makes your guests feel like they have some space.

[myfunnybunch]

How do you handle this? Do you take a bunch of clothes, diapers, wipes, kids comb, some toys, etc and put them into the family bedroom so that you don't have to constantly be going into the guests rooms and disturbing them?

 

I do this, and then go in as needed.

 

I do try to make SURE that I have all items I will need for after the guests go to sleep. :)

 

Cat

[KidsHappen]

We usually only have one person or couple at a time and they always use the 15 year old's bedroom because not only does she have the biggest room, but her bed frame and bedding will hold a queen size bed. She doesn't like people using her room much less sleeping in her bed so we change out the mattress and linens. She tries to get everything she needs out of there so that she doesn't have to go in there while company is here.

[Julie in CA]

For a two week situation, I'd take pretty much everything possible. On the flip side, I also wouldn't worry about going in once every day or two if necessary.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I take out a supply so that I don't have to go in as many times as normal - although I may have to go in some. As far as the play room, I would designate a place for the guest to put things and instruct my children to leave those alone. I would not want all the toys to be brought out in crowded areas.

 

I agree.

[ChristusG]

Just moved everything I'd need for at least 2-3 days. I think it should work.

 

I even took the changing pad and put it on top of a small shelf we already have in our bedroom....it fits perfectly! Almost like it was made for it. :D

 

I don't think I'll close off the playroom entirely to the kids. I told them to grab a small bin full of small people/animals to bring into our room, but to leave the houses and vehicles. I don't think nephew(15) cares as much about privacy as MIL. I'll just tell the kids to leave his stuff/cot alone and play on the other side of the room (it's a pretty big room) during some of the daytime hours.