How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
Aug 29th 2009, 11:17 pm
#46
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
Splitting hairs I know but buying food to feed more people is not cheaper.
I think what you really mean is that the more you cater for the more cost effective the portions become, especially with stews & soups etc.
Buying 6 chops instead of three is not cheaper, buying a kilo of diced beef & bulking out with pulses & potatoes is a cheaper way of feeding more folks though.
Jees I'm becoming pedantic
I think what you really mean is that the more you cater for the more cost effective the portions become, especially with stews & soups etc.
Buying 6 chops instead of three is not cheaper, buying a kilo of diced beef & bulking out with pulses & potatoes is a cheaper way of feeding more folks though.
Jees I'm becoming pedantic
I really wanted to concentrate more though on the attitude - noone in my family would even rolleyes at any suggestion, invitation or otherwise, or even get into a chit-chat about whose not doing what, who's not staying/who is/whose welcome/whose not. We all just get on with it. It's a sort of one-in, all-in thing. It just works! A household of people stay, everyone gets to do what they want to do - at some point - and everyone is happy and wants and gets to do it again..it's one of my favourite things about being in Australia - we all get to have ago in someone else's house on a different continent from time to time..might be 2 people, might be 10+ across different generations. I think it is a shame, that's all, for some people..that they even have to think that way...by the actions of someone else..
Aug 29th 2009, 11:50 pm
#47
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Location: Kohimarama
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
What the ***** is it with all these families and mates you guys have! I find these threads incredible - if amusing!
We have people over for months at at time. Not a single word is uttered in annoyance over something anyone does. We insist on paying for many things as we are hosts - they contribute occasionally.
Not one rule or plan is laid out prior. People sit down over dinner, and someone says - 'Ok if I do this - I'll do it this way so as to lessen the impact etc etc' - someone else says 'Don't worry about it - we're all adults etc'..things always seem to find their level.
In each others homes, over the UK, the US and here, there are often 10 people+ encamped everywhere all over the houses for months and it works great(!)
We have people over for months at at time. Not a single word is uttered in annoyance over something anyone does. We insist on paying for many things as we are hosts - they contribute occasionally.
Not one rule or plan is laid out prior. People sit down over dinner, and someone says - 'Ok if I do this - I'll do it this way so as to lessen the impact etc etc' - someone else says 'Don't worry about it - we're all adults etc'..things always seem to find their level.
In each others homes, over the UK, the US and here, there are often 10 people+ encamped everywhere all over the houses for months and it works great(!)
Totally agree with you - we have friends staying reasonably regularly (2 spare bedrooms) and have had no problems at all. Yes sometimes I can get a bit tense but that is only to be expected when you are living with each other for weeks and sometimes months on end. Personally I wouldn't be inviting people to stay who are only aquaintances anyway - they can get a hotel room!
As to the original poster - what sort of people are you 'friends' with? I only say this as none of my friends would make such a comment about my living arrangements or home - I think I remember another post from you recently when you said other people (friends?) had made comment about where you live - I think you should perhaps look for some more loyal and understanding friends!
Aug 29th 2009, 11:57 pm
#48
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
4 spare bedrooms, although 1 is used as an office and another is used as a playroom.
Aug 30th 2009, 12:11 am
#49
Forum Regular
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Location: Melbourne
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
Aug 30th 2009, 12:15 am
#50
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
Our problem is that the people we have had come and stay from the UK are not people we've actually invited...it's more of a case that they have just invited themselves. e.g my MIL assuming that because she has paid for her airfare (even though no-one ever suggests that she comes over) then she automatically gets free accommodation with family, irrespective of how long she intends to stay for. Never enters her head to book a holiday let or hotel and the one time we broached the subject she didn't speak to us for 4 months (thank god, happy times). She seriously doesn't care whether or not people have got the room in their house to accommodate her and her boyfriend or not. Causes lots of tension and is a real downer on our year. We're like bloody sitting ducks over here
One bloke turned out to be a Chief Surgeon of some Emergency Unit in the States and he got invited out to the big hospital in Melbourne by their man - I was happy to accompany him..see how the other half live..
Last edited by BadgeIsBack; Aug 30th 2009 at 12:18 am.
Aug 30th 2009, 12:22 am
#51
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Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 193
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
Music to my ears Badge - can I interest you in a 60 something year old MIL that believes food, petrol, drink and shopping in Oz is all free? She comes complete with accessories, namely a purse full of moths and a 40 per day smoker lager swilling at 10am boyfriend who is the most boring drunk to ever walk the planet. 10th Dec through to 14th Feb suit you? 
Go on, you know you want to!
Go on, you know you want to!
Aug 30th 2009, 1:14 am
#52
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Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 413
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
I have a 3 bedroom duplex which is quite small really and we can just about accommodate one other adult without the place feeling overcrowded - despite two other bedrooms.
We have a guest bedroom - although there is only a futon in it at the moment and we need to get a proper bed and a chest of drawers.
The other spare bedroom which is quite a bit bigger is used for our tumble drier, cat bed, cat scratch post, ironing board - that kind of thing and as soon as we have the money we will decorate it to make it into an office for me.
Last year someone I know called me selfish for not having two guest rooms as her son would like his own room 'for when he came'.
I said bollocks, the larger room is needed to accommodate my desk when I get it plus whatever else I choose to put in there and the smaller room is quite adequate.
Isnt it funny how potential visitors feel that they can tell you how to do things with regards to your own home should they decide to visit. Although I have spread the word that hiring an apartment is a better idea.
It's not as though my place is big because it's not but its all we can afford so we make the best of it.But by Christ am I glad I don't have 5 bedrooms or something - although I have been quite firm so far when it comes to people inviting themselves for a holiday.
So my question is, how many rooms do you allocate for guests, do you have a limit as to how many people you would accommodate?
We have a guest bedroom - although there is only a futon in it at the moment and we need to get a proper bed and a chest of drawers.
The other spare bedroom which is quite a bit bigger is used for our tumble drier, cat bed, cat scratch post, ironing board - that kind of thing and as soon as we have the money we will decorate it to make it into an office for me.
Last year someone I know called me selfish for not having two guest rooms as her son would like his own room 'for when he came'.
I said bollocks, the larger room is needed to accommodate my desk when I get it plus whatever else I choose to put in there and the smaller room is quite adequate.
Isnt it funny how potential visitors feel that they can tell you how to do things with regards to your own home should they decide to visit. Although I have spread the word that hiring an apartment is a better idea.
It's not as though my place is big because it's not but its all we can afford so we make the best of it.But by Christ am I glad I don't have 5 bedrooms or something - although I have been quite firm so far when it comes to people inviting themselves for a holiday.
So my question is, how many rooms do you allocate for guests, do you have a limit as to how many people you would accommodate?
I would have to win the lottery in order to have even one guest room.
Aug 30th 2009, 1:43 am
#53
Joined: May 2006
Location: in the Sydney asylum
Posts: 20,690
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
we have 1 guest room with a single bed and a pull out to make two singles or a double however it's also my studio/workroom so my clutter stays
I love having people to stay but sadly most of our relatives can't hack the flight
I love having people to stay but sadly most of our relatives can't hack the flight
Aug 30th 2009, 4:40 am
#54
Account Closed
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,424
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
(JOKING).
I can see all the points of view here, I used to love having people stay here which we could accomodate quite well til we had son no.3, it would be all quite relaxed and great fun had by all most times but you do get THOSE rare people as PP has mentioned who seem to think they can dictate how your place should be and where you ALL should go and expect to aso be entertained.
Now I may sound mean but after plenty of years putting up with that those people tend to get kicked to the curb !!!!
Last April we stayed with family friends's daughter and her husband who'd i've only seen 3 - 4 times, i'd only asked them for any ideas on holiday accomodation and wasn't expecting the offer but it was agreed we pay for our food or replace what we used of theirs and being guest and not paying for any other bills sometimes we got in the drinks for them too as a gesture.
Felt sorry for her husband mind as we'd only met him a couple of years previous for a short meal and there he was leaving us and the 3 boys in the house while he was off working lol
Pleased to say the house was still in tact when they returned LOL.
I think guests is something you do or don't do or reserve for the select few and when and if you can afford or put up with any potential aggro with them staying especially if the walls are paper thin!!!! :O thanks for that insight PP
Aug 30th 2009, 8:42 am
#55
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Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Victoria
Posts: 1,395
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
You and my mother would get on like a house on fire, obsessing over detail.
Everytime I paid a visit to my mother, I would always spread my Army 'green maggot' sleeping bag out on the bed in the spare room and Mum would fuss around with the linen etc.
I'd be as happy on the floor!
We have no guest rooms on account of our rapidly spreading family - with all 3 tabled to be in use by the end of the year. So people can rough it in the living room - and do so quite happily. They sometimes take my eldest daughter's bedroom who at 4, has a double bed (she doesn't know she is born that one). It is an old squeaky bed so there is no chance of guests horizontal dooner-dancing.
My office is being built soon out the back.
Quite.
Everytime I paid a visit to my mother, I would always spread my Army 'green maggot' sleeping bag out on the bed in the spare room and Mum would fuss around with the linen etc.
I'd be as happy on the floor!
We have no guest rooms on account of our rapidly spreading family - with all 3 tabled to be in use by the end of the year. So people can rough it in the living room - and do so quite happily. They sometimes take my eldest daughter's bedroom who at 4, has a double bed (she doesn't know she is born that one). It is an old squeaky bed so there is no chance of guests horizontal dooner-dancing.
My office is being built soon out the back.
Quite.
She was very upset to learn that they don't make Doona covers in Barbie or princesses for a Queen size! I did manage to find her a pinky coloured one thankfully.
Expecting her to fall out of bed lots next year when we move.......
On the original topic, we have a small study with a concertina type frosted glass door. Daughter will use a single bed in here when guests come and they will have her room. Only trouble will be that it isn't too soundproof so she may get disturbed a bit when we all traipse past to go to bed......
Aug 30th 2009, 10:08 am
#56
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
We don't have any guest rooms - but the boys all have a bedroom each and we have a sofa bed in the rumpus room.
When we have a single guest, youngest sleeps on sofa bed. If we have two guests (ie a couple), middle child will sleep on sofa bed (middle and eldest both have double beds, youngest has a king single)
MIL is coming next year with her new male 'friend' and has requested separate rooms! Not quite sure how I'll work that one (or even if it's a serious request) Might just get a blow up mattress and tell them they can lump it.
Mind you, we're moving interstate at the end of this year so we might not even have a room for them to sleep in at all.
When we have a single guest, youngest sleeps on sofa bed. If we have two guests (ie a couple), middle child will sleep on sofa bed (middle and eldest both have double beds, youngest has a king single)
MIL is coming next year with her new male 'friend' and has requested separate rooms! Not quite sure how I'll work that one (or even if it's a serious request) Might just get a blow up mattress and tell them they can lump it.
Mind you, we're moving interstate at the end of this year so we might not even have a room for them to sleep in at all.
Aug 30th 2009, 11:01 am
#57
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Location: Mt Martha, Melbourne
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
Hi
We have a 3 bed rental and have a lovely spare room but......all our UK friends say "if you lived in Perth we'd visit"! No one wants to come to Melbourne..
So far we've had one friend stay 1 night whilst passing through and a friends son for a month, his Dad is due to come at the end of next month. So that's it....the folks won't travel so no issues there other than having to go back to the UK to check up on them.
One set of friends do want to come but are planning a big 3 month epic which they will probably never do as that was our original thinking until we just thought sod it we'll go for 2 weeks! Another lot are visiting in 2013...I said you are most welcome (where the hell will we be!).
We've stayed with friends overseas and sleep wherever there is space and on whatever has been available, we've mucked in with the dishes, shopping etc - I would never expect to treat a "free" bed like a hotel!
Anyway, chances are when we buy it will only be a two bed and we need one for our home office so they'll have to camp down on a bit of floor somewhere....they should visit whilst we have the room
KK
We have a 3 bed rental and have a lovely spare room but......all our UK friends say "if you lived in Perth we'd visit"! No one wants to come to Melbourne..
So far we've had one friend stay 1 night whilst passing through and a friends son for a month, his Dad is due to come at the end of next month. So that's it....the folks won't travel so no issues there other than having to go back to the UK to check up on them.
One set of friends do want to come but are planning a big 3 month epic which they will probably never do as that was our original thinking until we just thought sod it we'll go for 2 weeks! Another lot are visiting in 2013...I said you are most welcome (where the hell will we be!).
We've stayed with friends overseas and sleep wherever there is space and on whatever has been available, we've mucked in with the dishes, shopping etc - I would never expect to treat a "free" bed like a hotel!
Anyway, chances are when we buy it will only be a two bed and we need one for our home office so they'll have to camp down on a bit of floor somewhere....they should visit whilst we have the room
KK
Aug 30th 2009, 11:39 am
#58
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 72
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
None - we don't allow guests in our house.
Aug 30th 2009, 12:53 pm
#59
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Location: brisbane
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Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
PP ,why have you changed your mind,you always said you wouldnt have people to stay.See you try and be nice and it all goes to shit.
BTW i love having people stay,except my inlaws,and that will not happen again.
BTW i love having people stay,except my inlaws,and that will not happen again.
Aug 30th 2009, 2:35 pm
#60
~~~
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,849
Re: How many 'guest rooms' do you have?
We have one single spare room in the house and a granny flat.
Dont get me started on visitors .... since end of May we are enjoying our well and truly deserved, year off
When you have had constant visitors for the last 3yrs staying 2, 3 & 6 MONTHS at a time it wears very thin regardless of space. Less space would have just meant the end of my tether being reached sooner as they would still have come ... and YES costs do mount up, as if they wouldnt, it is extra everything plus one car written off.
So PP lay down your rules and time limits from the start and dont let ANYONE tell you what to do in your own home ... I wish I had.
Dont get me started on visitors .... since end of May we are enjoying our well and truly deserved, year off
When you have had constant visitors for the last 3yrs staying 2, 3 & 6 MONTHS at a time it wears very thin regardless of space. Less space would have just meant the end of my tether being reached sooner as they would still have come ... and YES costs do mount up, as if they wouldnt, it is extra everything plus one car written off.
So PP lay down your rules and time limits from the start and dont let ANYONE tell you what to do in your own home ... I wish I had.
