But, there are ways to ease the laundry loads of extra people (and maybe their pets) in the house. By planning ahead, you won’t get left holding the stuffed laundry bag when the visit is over. And, to the guests: While a hostess gift of chocolates, flowers or wine is lovely, being a considerate guest is always the right choice. Talk to your host or hostess and ask what you can do to help during your stay. Then, do it! Check your inventory and if you don’t have enough bed linens for everyone, call family and ask them to bring their own linen. Be sure to give them bed sizes so they will bring the correct sized sheets. If you live near a lake or the ocean or have a pool, encourage your guests to bring their own beach towels. Before the animal arrives, be sure all laundry supplies are safely stored away. Laundry chemicals and dryer sheets are harmful to pets. When a strange pet is around, always check laundry appliances before using them to be sure it has not crawled inside. Use an old bed sheet to cover comforters, especially those that are labeled as dry clean only, and upholstery. The sheet can be easily tossed in the washer. Hopefully you and the pet owner have had an honest, open discussion before the visit on sleeping arrangements and the clean up of inevitable accidents, shedding, and messes. Be prepared for the unexpected! Stack correctly-sized extra sheets and blankets in each guest room closet so they can make the changes themselves. This is a simple task that they can do even if you don’t want to ask them to wash a load of sheets. One more thing off your to-do list. That way, there can be no mix-ups and the towels can be used more than once. If you do not have enough towel rods in the bathroom to hold damp towels and bathmats, set up a collapsible drying rack in the guest room. It’s also a good idea to have a laundry hamper or basket for guests to use in the bathroom or each bedroom. They can place their soiled laundry in the basket and bring it to the laundry room when they leave. Even if you do the washing, it’s one less step that you’ll have to do after the visit.
Is the laundry room clean and clutter free? Provide a step-by-step guide for washer or dryer use. This is particularly important for high-efficiency washers that use much less detergent. Your guests may not know how to use these correctly. Nothing is worse than a laundry room full of suds! Do I have the essentials (detergent, stain remover, and dryer sheets) on hand? Do I have an empty laundry basket available that guests can use?
Sharing activities makes a family closer and gets a few chores done as well!
