Garri, I notice that you are on the forum as a holiday maker as opposed to us owners...perhaps you could clear up for me and maybe my head will sort itself out...naturally I am very interested to see how you other owners cope.
Last Saturday on changeover day I got very close to having a complete hissy fit and storming off...there I was yet again sorting out all the china, cutlery, saucepans etc etc and putting them all back to where they belong.
Now, I am always complimentated on how well our properties are equiped - I have at least 2 of everything for 11 - I have equiped the house as if it was my home...even the professional chefs that have stayed have commented.
Yet so many folk seem incapable of putting anything away in the right place.
After the 16th consecutive Saturday of repeating this ritual I really am finding that it is winding me up.
Today I went to the beach to exercise the dogs (and me!)- I make sure I don't go near our house as I'm always worried it will look as if I am spying - but I was spotted - coooeeee.... questions like how do you light the oven (I had shown them) - I can't lock the door, (yes, I had shown them), they really are delightful people... but is it me or are people becoming more dependant on us owners?
I am dreading this forthcoming changeover - a 2 week stay - when I went over last week to help with bedmaking the whole house had been re-arranged, furniture, china, glasses, lamps you name it - house clean and well cared for but 2 sets of parents, 5 children ages 6.5.4.3.2....it was if a toy factory bomb had gone off - I didn't recognise the place...I just know it is going to be a long long day on Saturday....delightful people yet again
irritations
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Alan Knighting
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- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
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Normandy Cow
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Tansy, I just can't figure the "mover abouters". Its been suggested to me that maybe they are picking logically better places than I did for stuff but I'm sure the iron being in a kitchen cupboard along with washing powder, pegs etc is more logical than a shelf on the wardrobe in the small bedroom (where there is no room to iron).
The other week I hunted high and low for a set of trays I keep in case folk want to eat on their knees in front of TV. I finally found them... behind the bookcase in the lounge - why??!!! I tend to get a panic on as when I first can't find something I think it might have been taken, voluntary or involunantarily.
The same tray "mover abouters" also didn't know how to wash dishes. Not only did they leave them greasy and on the drainer they actually had white fat on them where sausages/bacon had been.... blurgh! Cue all of the dishes out of the cupboard and do them again too just in case.....
However, this is a small percentage of guests so I resist the temptation to cover the place with rules and regulations. I guess a "please do not move things around" notice would be pretty odd anyway!!!
The other week I hunted high and low for a set of trays I keep in case folk want to eat on their knees in front of TV. I finally found them... behind the bookcase in the lounge - why??!!! I tend to get a panic on as when I first can't find something I think it might have been taken, voluntary or involunantarily.
The same tray "mover abouters" also didn't know how to wash dishes. Not only did they leave them greasy and on the drainer they actually had white fat on them where sausages/bacon had been.... blurgh! Cue all of the dishes out of the cupboard and do them again too just in case.....
However, this is a small percentage of guests so I resist the temptation to cover the place with rules and regulations. I guess a "please do not move things around" notice would be pretty odd anyway!!!
We have had so many similar experiences of the "mover abouters" its actually become a standing joke when we enter our Villa for our own time.
But thinking rationally about it (or maybe wishful thinking), we've come to visualise such families as good renters. They come into our home and quickly make it their own. That way, they settle in and enjoy their self-catering holiday in a private home. They are more likely to enjoy all those little extras (CDs, exceptionally well stocked kitchen, loads of personal objet d'art and suchlike) and are potentially less likely to be the complainers who expect a hotel style existence where an electrician will change the light bulbs within minutes and the maid makes the beds every day.
We, like many on this forum go to a lot of effort to make the accomodation "homely", but one has to accept that everyone's "home" is a bit different and we're typically more comfortable in our own home than we are in someone else's.
But thinking rationally about it (or maybe wishful thinking), we've come to visualise such families as good renters. They come into our home and quickly make it their own. That way, they settle in and enjoy their self-catering holiday in a private home. They are more likely to enjoy all those little extras (CDs, exceptionally well stocked kitchen, loads of personal objet d'art and suchlike) and are potentially less likely to be the complainers who expect a hotel style existence where an electrician will change the light bulbs within minutes and the maid makes the beds every day.
We, like many on this forum go to a lot of effort to make the accomodation "homely", but one has to accept that everyone's "home" is a bit different and we're typically more comfortable in our own home than we are in someone else's.
Hello e-Richard....what's it like to be out from the lurking then?! Seriously, welcome - glad you have joined in.
I am talking things like the cutlery draw...open it up and fire in handfuls direct from the dishwasher, glasses, just bung them in the side board, upside down whatever where ever, kitchen knives etc have a seperate draw near the cooker...don't be daft ....don't put them there too obvious!
Alan I love your idea...I'm really tempted...maybe if they all took ages to find something they would think twice where to put it?
I am talking things like the cutlery draw...open it up and fire in handfuls direct from the dishwasher, glasses, just bung them in the side board, upside down whatever where ever, kitchen knives etc have a seperate draw near the cooker...don't be daft ....don't put them there too obvious!
Alan I love your idea...I'm really tempted...maybe if they all took ages to find something they would think twice where to put it?
OK. This is weird... we started VRs in 2003 and I've never had anyone move things around. Sometimes the cutlery is a tad mixed but never excessive. We've had tons of families, professional cooks, the whole gamit. Even the toys get put back correctly. I'm talking puzzles and building blocks.
We have had the odd guest put back dishes that were, um, less than squeaky clean.
I can commiserate though: If the guests had moved things around it would have driven me absolutely bonkers. (I'm the one who cleans with a toothbrush.) But now, based upon Richard's wise comments, it would be a sort of compliment.
* Welcome, Richard. Lucky us to be in Portugal, eh? *
We have had the odd guest put back dishes that were, um, less than squeaky clean.
I can commiserate though: If the guests had moved things around it would have driven me absolutely bonkers. (I'm the one who cleans with a toothbrush.) But now, based upon Richard's wise comments, it would be a sort of compliment.
* Welcome, Richard. Lucky us to be in Portugal, eh? *
I had the girlfriend ( Oxbridge of course Dahling!) of the grandson of the lady who has just rented our property ring me demanding to know- in the most drawn out d-r-a-w-l imaginable- where the charcoal for the BBQ is kept.Doh!!! I felt like saying "Super U " but remembered that there actually was some left from the last people so I pointed her in the right direction!! 
www.thepetitmanoir.com
www.thepetitmanoir.com
We get "mover-abouters" too. It drives my husband mad having to re-arrange the kitchen every Saturday. It is mainly the kitchen, but we do get somethings moved about in the bedrooms, matresses for example. Someone swapped over a matress from a twin room, and I didn't notice until I was making up the beds so just left them where they where. They are still there now several weeks later as the two bedrooms are on either side of the property and I can't be bothered to lug them about on a Saturday. I know it doesn't make any difference but it upsets my sense of balance that there are different matresses on matching beds.
Cushions are another thing which get moved about, I often have to collect them all up and put them in their proper place.
Ju
Cushions are another thing which get moved about, I often have to collect them all up and put them in their proper place.
Ju
Yes, yes, yes! We've only had our first set of guests, two adults and a 10 year old, and they found new homes for quite a few things. The weirdest was moving the bedding. We have one king size and two singles downstairs, and one double upstairs. The caretakers made up the king size bed and one single. For some reason, the guests decided to move all the single bedding up to the other double. Naturally, the single fitted sheet wouldn't fit, so they turned the (single) bedspread upside down and used that! God knows why, as all the beds have mattress protectors and they could have used that. I eventually found the double duvet and double bedspread on the single bed, still complete with fitted bottom sheet. It took me ages to work it out! I couldn't understand why none of the linen would fit.
They also moved the iron/ironing board and hoover from the kitchen, putting them in the twin bedroom. I thought they'd nicked the hoover until I found it in the wardrobe - like Tansy, I ran round the house in a hissy fit because, like many people, we only rent it to pay the mortgage. It's not a business, it's our house and it feels defiled. Stupid, I know, but I guess I'm just fussy. I knew I'd feel uncomfortable, even if the guests had been perfect. 'The lady of the house' (ooh - am I being sexist?!) obviously had no intention of doing any housework, because not much kitchen equipment had been used, so at least that wasn't moved. But the glasses looked decidedly smeary, even though there is a dishwasher (with tablets etc available), and the house wasn't as clean as I would leave it. I didn't expect it to be spotless but, for example, there was dirt all over one of the baths. (I leave cleaning products etc.) Even if they didn't fancy cleaning, showering around would have got rid of it!
So we seem to have had the worst of both worlds - people who treat the place like a hotel, but move things around to make themselves at home! (They seemed nice, though. They couldn't find the water heater switch so we spoke to them on the phone to explain where it was. They also left a nice enough comment in the visitors' book.) I dread the next visitors (5 adults?!) in case they're worse! I guess it's a steep learning (or accepting) curve.
Oh, and our property managers have left us in the lurch and I've had to find new ones. (Which is why I found all the dirty linen still on the beds and the cleaning not done.)
Oooh, it's good to have a moan . . .
They also moved the iron/ironing board and hoover from the kitchen, putting them in the twin bedroom. I thought they'd nicked the hoover until I found it in the wardrobe - like Tansy, I ran round the house in a hissy fit because, like many people, we only rent it to pay the mortgage. It's not a business, it's our house and it feels defiled. Stupid, I know, but I guess I'm just fussy. I knew I'd feel uncomfortable, even if the guests had been perfect. 'The lady of the house' (ooh - am I being sexist?!) obviously had no intention of doing any housework, because not much kitchen equipment had been used, so at least that wasn't moved. But the glasses looked decidedly smeary, even though there is a dishwasher (with tablets etc available), and the house wasn't as clean as I would leave it. I didn't expect it to be spotless but, for example, there was dirt all over one of the baths. (I leave cleaning products etc.) Even if they didn't fancy cleaning, showering around would have got rid of it!
So we seem to have had the worst of both worlds - people who treat the place like a hotel, but move things around to make themselves at home! (They seemed nice, though. They couldn't find the water heater switch so we spoke to them on the phone to explain where it was. They also left a nice enough comment in the visitors' book.) I dread the next visitors (5 adults?!) in case they're worse! I guess it's a steep learning (or accepting) curve.
Oh, and our property managers have left us in the lurch and I've had to find new ones. (Which is why I found all the dirty linen still on the beds and the cleaning not done.)
Oooh, it's good to have a moan . . .
Based on our experience, there's no logical connection between party size or make up and their "moveaboutedness". You'll probably have 5 wonderful people who love your house, leave it spotless, and exactly how they found it. These are the more common type of guests.... Don't be too distressed based on an unlucky 1st time experience.Itsonlyme wrote:... I dread the next visitors (5 adults?!) in case they're worse! . . .