So many things moved around!

[Nikki339]

Hi- I’m taking 24 hrs before writing a guest review to try and stop feeling so annoyed.

my guests left the place clean and tidy but- moved bedroom furniture, put lamps in the closets, moved all the books from the shelves to the windows, moved things around in the kitchen… you get the picture. It added maybe 30-45 minutes to my usual 150 minute clean up and honestly, it’s pissed me off. 
I do ask people to leave the suite as they found it.

Am I being petty to want to mention this in a review? Or should I just roll my eyes and be glad they didn’t leave a mess?! Thanks.

[Emiel1]

@Nikki339 

Take a deep breath and move on. If they created a mess, it would add much more time to your cleaning schedule.

[Benjamin836]

Roll your eyes and be happy they left the place intact.

[Sarah977]

@Nikki339  No, I don''t think it's petty to mention. They didn't follow your request to leave it as they found it and created more work for you. Just leave a balanced review- you appreciated it left clean and tidy, but didn't appreciate them moving all the furnishings around, stashing lamps in the closets, etc. creating an extra 45 minutes of prep time for you. 

[Inna22]

@Nikki339  how long were they staying for? If this was a longer reservation I would love on. They tried to make the place comfortable for themselves. If it is just one or two nights- that’s super annoying to spend extra time cleaning.

Another question I would ask myself would be - do I have too much in that room that guests feel the need to move it out of the way. There is a fine balance between having everything a guest needs and also welcoming decor but also leaving enough space for the guests belonging. My guests often move decor objects out of reach of kids or to not break it or out of the way. In a way I would rather they do that than break or make them dirty. 

[Kelly251]

@Nikki339 I am with you, what the heck is with the entitlement of people to reorganize our apartment kitchen, change the layout of our furniture in the living area…for goodness sakes you are here for 2 weeks …I too ask that our apartment be left in the way you found it…

I am so annoyed I am taking a month off and blocked our calendar…need to step away…people annoying me 😡

[Dimitar27]

Really...take a deep breath and go ahead. Nothing is broken. If you are accepting long time reservations, it will happen regularly.

@Kelly251 ...it's not easy to work with guests. There is always something new to learn. Something new to deal with. Sometimes it will be easy, sometimes not. Not all lines are "red". Some are rose, some are purple, some are grey, some of them are not defined (yet).

[Andrea4731]

We’re they perhaps traveling with a toddler or animal & we’re moving these items to safer places/out of reach so they wouldn’t get broken? Just a thought as I’d recently had someone stay with a young child & they moved everything out of reach to keep my things & the child safe. 

it took me a moment to realize why they had done it as well, now I don’t host to young children.

[Amanda660]

I’ve got an amazing housekeeper and this is her absolute bugbear.  How long was this guest in for?  

[Michelle2475]

 It that people read but… I have a framed sign on a table in the living room: We like our furniture arrangement and hope you do too. Please do not redecorate. 😂

[Belinda328]

I went today to check on a refrigerator in my home. My quests have moved all kitchen dishes, china cabinet items, book shelves items around or somewhere - I don’t even know because I was just there for refrigerator. Unbelievable! 

[Clara116]

@Belinda328  I looked at your listing - if I understand correctly people will be staying minimum 31 days??? And you allow kids all ages and have toys and such for them. PLUS you have GLASS china cabinets and open shelves with everything....a disaster waiting to happen with kids....really - of course, they put them somewhere = OUT OF REACH and sight. You might want to rethink your design, with allowing Kids, so parents don't have to police them every second to protect your stuff. If stuff is NOT kid proofed, they will keep rearranging stuff and we all would. Hope you can look at it from the guests angle and not just your plan, design angle. Happy Hosting, Clara

[Helen744]

Nikki339, they probably had un announced children.....H

[Clara116]

@Nikki339 I know your post is older but still very relevant for many hosts. I notice something that you and many other don't seem to address. 

You offer your beautiful place, with animals/dogs allowed and you have books, a lamp (perfect place for a dog tail to hit) and those books down on dog/chewing level, really?? One of my dogs would be in heaven. so when people rearrange your stuff pay attention WHY did they do it?? 

Is it in the way, is it better suited somewhere else? If the same things get moved and you don't address it - I think you are missing a really important part of hosting - yes, you like your design but often times its not ideal for people staying there. I had a guest move one of my chairs and it was the perfect solution to the perfect way of placing that I'd NOT seen. I thanked her in a private message. Sometimes what we think is perfect just isn't. (oh, she was a designer, turns out and loved everything else). So don't get upset, just notice why. Be happy to have guests.