Happy Friday the 13th! The weekend is so close and travel plans for the rest of the summer are full swing. We just booked a trip to Vermont for August and I couldn’t be more excited. Add in my trip to NYC this September for a blogger conference, fashion week and squeeel… to meet bloggie besties that will soon become IRL (in real life) besties, and count this girl major stoked (ok, yes, I’m kind of a nerd. I know what you’re thinking).
Most of our travel will involve staying with someone else, be it friends or family. As I get older — and hopefully wiser! — I’m trying to be the best houseguest ever.
Be perfect house guest — and score yourself another invite — with these TAGG tips:
Bring a thoughtful, useful gift for the home. Without a doubt, your hostess likely spent considerable time making sure you would have the perfect digs during your visit. Reward her/him with something thoughtful. A monogrammed item, confections from a favorite bakery or beautiful flowers always do the trick.
Arrive — and Leave — when you said you would. As much as the hostess enjoys your visit, it’s likely she/he is planning around your stay. Be considerate of your time. Last-minute changes happen however be mindful, try to handle your own transportation and be as accomodating as possible.
Keep Your Items Close (Not all over the house!). Keep in mind you’re not at a hotel, you’re in someone’s home. Be sure to keep things in your space, keep the bathroom neat (and the towels hung up to dry), and avoid significant clutter where you are staying.
Be helpful; your hostess is not a maid. Offering to do the dishes, helping clean up a playroom when the kids go to sleep, preparing the wine and cheese, or bringing down the sheets when you leave are all musts. And, really, just the sweet thing to do.
Pick up on House Rules. Be attentive: do you notice everyone taking their shoes off when they walk in or turning the television off during meals? Be sure to do the same to model their behavior and “house rules.”
Send a thank you note. Not an e-version. Get out the paper and write it, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it and put it in the mail. There is no substitution for hand-written mail. None.
Now, go, make plans, and enjoy your stay!
