FIL lives next door, puts my rubbish out for me and takes things out of my bin bags......

[npg1]

I am very lucky in some ways, my In laws live next door, they help me out, MIL very good with my garden, FIL does more DIY things if needed. DH works away all week so im on my own.

FIL had always for a long time put my rubbish out for me early on a monday morning. I used to do it but then he started doing it as cats were tearing the bags in the night so he now puts it out early in the morning.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, he has been opening up my rubbish bags and taking things out to use for themselves. I noticed a few months ago when I had a clear out, threw some party bag toys out and then found DD playing with them a few days later. . Same thing happened again a couple of weeks later. This week i threw out a dettol spray bottle and caught MIL watering the plants with it the other day and she said 'oh my friend gave it to me!"

I am now worried about what i throw away as think they will take things out, I really want to say anything as they might get funny and im very grateful of them helping me but at the same time I dont want them routing through my rubbish!

[Flyonthewindscreen]

I would hate this and see it as an invasion of my privacy (although my ILs are bleach and anti bacterial spray hygiene freaks so it is an unlikely scenario...) Could you ask your ILs in a jokey way why they are going through your rubbish, making it clear you find it a strange thing to do and if this fails ask your DH to tell them to stop it?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Get into the habit of throwing a few tubs of cottage cheese/coleslaw over your rubbish the night before the bin gets emptied. They won't want to touch it, and they won't be able to comment on it without admitting that they're a pair of dirrrty bin divers.

[LilRedWG]

Or maybe just comment to DH, in their earshot, that you think someone has been going through the bins whilst he is away and that it is scaring you a little. They'll either 'fess up - in which case you can make it clear you are unimpressed - or will never do it again.

[Yurtgirl]

My dad is a bit like this - in a desperate bid to check that everything has been recycled that could be

[BCNS]

throw away a whip or a vibrator etc ( not good ethics to bung in the bin i know) it will give them a hell of a shock.. and they may thing twice.

[booboobeedoo]

My very elderly cleaning lady did this - it used to make me feel bad that I was throwing perfectly good / useful stuff away.

It is weird, but sweet + quite environmentally friendly too!

[SpawnChorus]

Bin lots of condoms filled with partially cooked egg white. Smear with a little chocolate for ultimate horror value.

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

LOL spawnchorus

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Ooh, grin not gin. I'm not swigging gin as I MN, honest!

[npg1]

Very funny!!!

Thing is the uses rubber gloves to go through it, I asked him why he did it and he said to make sure I sorted all the recycling out (which i always do anyway!)

It made me laugh as the other week I was on my period and have to use pads for the first couple of days and of course I put them in the bin! It makes me feel sick though to think he is going through them!

I would dput the bags out myself but we live down a lane and they have to be put at top of lane and would mean I leav my house and DC unattended!

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Well, I think you need to just ask them not to do it, and if they ask why be very blunt and say you put your used sanitary towels and things in there, which you don't want people having a look at! They can hardly think you're being unreasonable, it's an invasion of your privacy after all!

This would creep me the hell out.

[TwoSunnyDays]

Yuk yuk yuk. If asking them nicely fails could you tape the bags up with packing tape and a keep out prive sign until they get the message?

If that doesnt work it will have to be condoms and porn mags etc

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

Or empty the cats litter tray over the top. Gloves or not, no-one would want to trawl through that for fun!

[toomanystuffedbears]

James, Spawn, BCNS- thanks for making me laugh!
Could stink work?
Maybe some spoiled raw fish? Rotten eggs, potatoes, onions.
Ammonia?- something so bad, the fumes would make his eyes water?

Perhaps you could put your name on items with permanent marker.

Did someone suggest taping the bags closed? Duct tape. If fil asks why you do that, say you read somewhere about people suffering from identity theft from people rummaging through the trash bags.

Then suggest that there should be an ordinance in your area to prevent rummaging/scavanging. There is one where I live.

That is wierd, though, I agree.

[hambler]

aw, just smile and ignore
I can't really see the harm

If I could get someone to put my bins out they could EAT my rubbish for all I care