How to keep guests out of cabinets without seeming rude?!
How to keep guests out of cabinets without seeming rude?
This is sort of an odd question, I know. We are throwing a casual Halloween party (think paper cups, plates, etc) and last year we had a problem with guests who said they didn't like eating or drinking off paper or plastic, so they went into the kitchen and used a bunch of dishes (a new cup for every drink, flatware, etc) even after being asked nicely to use what we provided. I like to accomodate the needs of guests, but I thought it was rather rude. These were family members, I should add. How can we keep them out of the cabinets? We were thinking of putting a garland or something across the cabinets--is that too much?
Answers:
The garland through the handles is a good idea, and maybe some jingle bells so you can hear the rude ones trying to open the cabinets.
It sounds pretty rude to me, too. And I don't think the garland is too much at all. In fact, I think that's pretty clever. It's very subtle. The people who took raided your cabinets last year will get it, but those who didn't won't make anything out of it.
That is rude...geesh...I feel for you, I have family members that are like that also.
String the festive garland...wind it around cabinet knobs too so that can't even open the cupboards...good luck!!
Here are a few suggestions.
Put locks on the doors, a pad lock through the handles.
Or put up signs "Off Limits".
Don't invite them back.
Come right out and tell them that they are being rude,
Tell them they have to wash the dishes.
how rude to come to someones house and demand things. I mean, I dont think it rude to ask for a glass plate or glass if you cant handle the paper but to go actually look for it? \
I think the garland is a great idea, providing they dont go and take it off because it seems like they are rude enough to do it anyway.
Aside from you emptying out all your cabinets so they dont find anything...and even though they insist after you asked them to use what you gave, I would make them wash all the stuff! In a nice way of course ;)
Go to their house and steal their dishes, then use them next time you have a party.
Otherwise they will never get the message.
................... YOU ARE RIGHT ................ PUT SOME STREAMERS ON THE CABINETS .................... THAT WAY YOU CAN TAPE THEM CLOSED TO PROTECT THE DECORATING STREAMERS .................... OR PUT SOME DECORATING POSTERS ON THE OPENINGS ......................
Who cares if you seem rude, you guests are EXTREMELY rude! And I'd have to guess that a garland might not be enough to discourage them after the way they behaved last year.
I have family member (okay, in-laws) who are at about the same etiquette level, and frankly, it drives me nuts.
How about putting a big poster on the doors of the cupboards that says "THERE ARE PAPER PLATES ON THE TABLE" and over the other cupboard, "THERE ARE PALSTIC GLASSES ON THE TABLE" and on the silverware drawer "THERE ARE PLASTIC UTENSILS ON THE TABLE"
If they don't get it, and DARE to open your cupboards and rummage around, then THEY can do ALL the cleaning up and wash the dishes.
Okay, if you're not willing to be so obvious, then empty all the dishes from the cupboards, hide them in the bedroom closet, and put more plastic in their place. If they then ask you for real (after having obviously rummaged through your kitchen) tell them it's "not available"
send an electric current through the handles of the cabinets, this gives them a polite fatal shock to ask them to keep their well-kept greasy mitts off your stuff.
or stick up a little note with a message on it. with an electric current through it.
We had a friend who would come to our parties and snoop in our cabinets too. We knew she did it but we never talked about it. Wanting to keep her from doing it, we devised a plan!
We set a trap! Got a cup of marbles, (little round beads etc.) and carefully set them as a trap then carefully shut it so that when the snooping persons open the cupboard, the marbles will spill out all over the floor and they are caught red handed.
You are then free to say something like..."I did ask you to please use what we provided on the table and to keep out of the cabinets."
This might cure them of their snooping!
It's even rude-er to serve food and drinks in plastic or paper dishes. Who does THAT? Awful!!!
I had the exact same problem! I put up garland too at my next party and some folks even took it down. In their mind, since they are family, they have the right to do it,
So here's what I did: I picked up a LARGE inexpensive Rubbermaid storage container, and put my plates and silverware in it (not glasses cause we use those at our bar). and hit it in my bedroom. When my family went rummaging through my cabinets, it was empty. When they asked me why, I simply replied "Because my cabinets are not your cabinets, I provided you with the items you need, and you will use them or go hungry" They used the paper of course.
The best part is that they learned their lesson. the next time I had a party, they used what I provided and didn't open a single cabinet .
Honesty is the best policy. If they do it again, I politely would say "When you are in my home, please respect/honor my wishes." A close friend came to my new home. As I was showing her around, she flung open my closet doors - to look inside. I was so shocked, I never invited her over again.
Cancel the party. I wouldn't have such rude, boorish people in my house.
It's always nice to have festive,decorative themed lighting a parties. Get some Halloween lights, plug them in . Start at the end of your cabinet, string across to the knob, wrap around the knob, stretch over to the next knob, wrap around that knob and continue to do this all the way across the cabinets that you have deemed off limits. It will look as if you just decorated, when in truth, you've made it impossible for them to enter where you don't want them to. Subtle, but effective. I think a garland would resemble a police tape. You should maybe hang a cheap ghost or some such thing off each knob.
Garland would look nice, but would end up too inconvenient for you. As soon as it's up, you will really need into that cupboard. But I understand your dilema. My inlaws are very much a "help myself" group. My MIL thinks it's appropriate to open any cupboard she chooses. So one year we set the stage for her to get embarassed if she opened the cupboards. In one, we stuck a pile of my underpants on the shelf up front. In another, my husbands undies. then it carried on through to socks, bras, toothbrushes, etc. Anything totally personal. Well, eventually it became a bear for us, as everyone was viewing our personals. So the next year, the day of the party, I went in the kitchen and took every single utensil, plate, bowl, cup, glass etc. and put them in our bedroom on the bed and locked the door behind me. So, when she went to look in our cupboards, there was nothing there! :-)
My impression is that you'd likely not get into others' cabinets (nor do I), and anything beyond your politely mentioning the situation would constitute rudeness (as you'd be forced to take greater measures to get the results you want). Ah, if only family could graciously give us the sensitivity we get from friends! But, such is not the case. So, give thanks for your friends and face the cold hard reality of Life With Family.
Still, there is hope: IT IS HALLOWEEN AFTER ALL! That is your Golden Invitation to scare the livin' shitake mushrooms out of people! CARPE DIEM, SEIZE THE DAY ! Make it a H'ween they'll never forget!
Nobody suggested booby-trapping the cupboards with those springy things that jump out like snakes ! ! ! (make 'em scream)
The strung lights idea seems most effective, in an 'actions being louder than words' kind of way :)
Ha- if you decide to lock dishes, etc. in another room, when family asks where they are, tell them "I broke everything throwing them at my husband, he kept getting into things I told him to leave alone".