We all have our own house rules that we hope our guests respect. Each home you visit will have different expectations of their guests, and some will be more relaxed than others. There are, however, 19 things that you should never do when you visit someone’s house, according to etiquette experts:
Show Up Unannounced
Before visiting someone, you should confirm details of your arrival and expectations for the visit. While you may be able to drop in at any time at a close family member’s house, you should not have the exact expectations of people you don’t visit as often. Once a time is agreed, make sure you are not late as this can be seen as being rude.
Touch or Move Things
Everyone deserves to feel comfortable and in control within their own home. Touching or moving their belongings without permission can violate their privacy and security. Imagine how you’d feel if someone moved your things around in your space.
Expect a Tour
Visiting someone primarily aims to connect with them, share meaningful conversations, and enjoy their company. Focusing on a tour can overshadow this core objective, and the visit feels more about the space than the relationship.
Invade their Privacy
If a host asks you not to enter a particular room, it is essential to respect their wishes. Homes are personal spaces that reflect individual tastes and experiences. While they might be happy to share some aspects, expecting full access to their home could feel intrusive and violate their sense of privacy.
Come Empty Handed
A gift, even a small one, is a tangible way to express your appreciation for their hospitality and the effort they put into hosting you. It shows you recognize their generosity and want to reciprocate in some way. Your gift could be a small bunch of flowers, a bottle of wine, or dessert if you are having dinner together.
Hide a Mess
If you damage an item in someone else’s home, make sure you own up. This means asking for clothes if you spill a drink or offering to pay for a broken cup. Simply hiding away shows a lack of disrespect, and you may not be asked back again.
Go Snooping
If you are alone in a room or you visit the bathroom, don’t be tempted to snoop into their personal belongings. You should always respect another person’s privacy, as you would not like it if someone snooped on your things.
Make Too Much Noise
A person’s home is their sanctuary, and their comfort level deserves respect. Loud noises can be disruptive and intrusive, especially in bedrooms, study spaces, or shared living areas. Minimizing noise demonstrates your consideration for their peace.
Dress Inappropriately
Your choice of clothing communicates respect for your host and their home. They’ve opened their space to you, and putting effort into your attire demonstrates your appreciation for their hospitality.
Overstay Your Welcome
Hosting takes effort and preparation. Everyone has limited time and energy, and respecting your host’s resources means being mindful of how long you stay. Extending your visit beyond the agreed-upon duration can stretch their resources thin and leave them feeling drained.
Bring an Uninvited Guest
Every host anticipates a specific number of guests. Exceeding that number can disrupt the planned seating arrangements, conversation flow, and overall atmosphere, potentially leading to feelings of crampedness or exclusion for others.
Forget to Share Dietary Requirements
Whether your dietary restrictions are due to allergies, preferences, or ethical choices, informing your host beforehand allows them to plan and prepare accordingly. It demonstrates respect for their time and effort in ensuring comfort and enjoyment.
Feed Their Dog
The host knows their dog’s dietary needs and potential allergies best. Feeding food without their permission might upset the dog’s stomach or even trigger a severe reaction. Respecting their choice and trusting their knowledge of their pet’s health is considerate.
Ignore Shoe Rules
Some hosts prefer guests take off their shoes to keep the house clean. It is essential to respect their wishes rather than ignore them and cause conflict. Many hosts will have house shoes that you can wear to keep your feet from getting cold.
Make Negative Comments on Their Decor
Home decor is a reflection of personal taste, experiences, and memories. Making negative comments can feel like criticizing someone’s choices and can be hurtful, even if unintentional.
Interfering With the Setup
If you are attending someone’s house for dinner, you should be mindful not to interfere with the event setup. This means not changing place names, rearranging flowers, or asking for different wines to be opened. The host will have spent a lot of time planning their event, so suggesting they could have done something better would be rude.
Wake up Their Children
If children are in bed, do not be tempted to wake them up to say hello. The hosts will have to put their children to bed regularly and will not be happy if you interrupt their routine, especially if they cannot get back to sleep quickly.
Take Over the Cooking
Unless asked, it isn’t nice to step in to cook at someone else’s dinner party. Taking over your own accord indicates that you don’t think they are good enough, which will make them feel embarrassed.
Gossip About People
It would help if you kept the topic of conversation neutral by not talking about things that will make the guests uncomfortable. A survey showed that many Americans would rather sit in silence than create small talk, so a few ideas about stimulating conversations will go a long way. Gossip and controversial subjects are out of the equation when it comes to being respectful in someone else’s home.
18 Things You Should Probably Stop Doing After Age 50
18 Things You Should Probably Stop Doing After Age 50
19 Products Marketed Almost Exclusively To Stupid People
19 Products Marketed Almost Exclusively To Stupid People
No Boomers Allowed: 15 States Where Retirees Are Not Welcome
No Boomers Allowed: 15 States Where Retirees Are Not Welcome
18 Disturbing Conspiracy Theories You Laughed Off But Were Actually True
18 Disturbing Conspiracy Theories You Laughed Off But Were Actually True
18 Everyday Phrases Unintentionally Reflecting White Privilege
18 Everyday Phrases Unintentionally Reflecting White Privilege