Guests using your shower gel?

[MrsB76]

This is really just a minor niggle but I'm curious - is it really silly of me to begrudge visiting family members the use of my shower gel? I just had my MIL and SIL stay for a few days overnight and I bought them travel size toiletries (they came on a plane) and DH thinks I should be more hospitable and just let them use my shower gel (well mine and his) and toothpaste. Really?

Mine just lives in a basket in the top of my wardrobe, with a few other small travel things (canvas bags, travel hairdryer). We stay overnight somewhere at least once every school holidays (ILs live some distance away) and it's easier to just keep it packed than to start from scratch every time. I had no idea it wasn't a normal thing to do, but it isn't something I've ever discussed with anyone in real life.

I have had a totally separate wash bag packed and ready to go, also contained medical stuff and some basic make up by not my full set. Makes much more sense than having to get stuff together all the time. Started this at uni when I was away for my hobby Most weekends and still find it invaluable now I'm away about once a month.

It's honestly much less of a faff to have the travel stuff ready to pack. We don't travel anywhere exotic, but we do live several hours from all our family so have to stay over to see them.

MrsKoala I think I'm a bit like you though I wouldn't use someone else's toothbrush. I'd scrub my teeth with a towel and then rub their toothpaste on with my finger and slosh.

It would never occur to me that someone was sharing their germs by squeezing my toothpaste onto their brush

I have a big empty toiletry bag which contains only my list of things to pack in it so I won't find myself running around like a scalded earwig at the last moment, gathering bits and bobs and forgetting half of what I mean to bring.

Shower gel, shampoo, soap, conditioner and any moisturiser from the bathroom all fine.

Tooth paste, no frigging way! FIL used it when he stayed and it's gross. Why would you want somebody else's germy toothbrush wiping against your toothpaste tube, and then when you squeeze the next bit out all of their toothbrush germs go in your mouth. Gross gross gross!

I have been know to squeeze a blob away and wipe the tube, also known to buy a new tube and hide it after FIL has used mine. Then bin the old one and replace it with the new one as soon as he is gone.

Family - can use everything: the soap, shampoo, toothpaste, the whole lot! (Not the toothbrushes)

Other guests - can use almost everything, but not the toothpaste (not because I care, but I worry they would, so I provide a mini one too (next to our one, so they can still use that!))

Don't get the problem, but each to their own.

I would put away anything I don't want used.

Math - that's a good idea about the list, i may steal that. I am seriously disorganised and probably forget at least 2 important things when i go away. I think i am definitely in the minority, especially the older i get where everyone else seems to have grown up and i still live a bit studenty. I am now imagining all you fragrant and groomed MNers wafting about the place while i run about like a headless chicken shoving a half used bottle of shampoo in my bag and it leaking everywhere.

That's a very good description of my DH's washbag arrangement MrsK.

I would put out mini ones in guest room for them to use. But I always feel that my toiletries are for me to use. I don't mind sharing toothpaste, and if guests need some, that's fine.

But we all use different toiletries in this house anyway - between skin allergies, preferences and occasional treating myself to L'Occitane refreshing stuff to get me going in the morning (at €17 a bottle, I make that last MONTHS!), we all have different ones.

Occasionally DH and I will share a lemon or lime shower gel, and DD has got to like that as well, so that would tend to be our "go to" for travelling, so we'll all share it.

But for everyday use at home, or when travelling for weekends etc, we all take our own. And we'd expect guests to bring their own toiletries too. Which has always been the norm in both our families.

Spare emergency toothbrushes are available, and we will provide spare other bits if wanted, but really, I would not like a guest helping themselves to my or any of our toiletries without asking. Some of them are quite specialist (not just my treat ones - DH has some for skin problems and DD did for a few years as well).

We have individual washbags permenantly packed as well. DH and I travel for work (him a LOT more frequently), we live away from "home" and have regular weekends there, and have other travel as a family or DD and I with Scouts.

So I have a big washbag with everything (toiletries and meds), but got into the habit with DFIL very ill last year of having just an "essentials" bag as well (the big one has bits for a mini-facial when I have a spare half hour in a hotel, nail varnish for while I wait for others to get ready, that sort of thing). I also have a full makeup kit for travelling too, which is in a separate small pouch (I keep a second at home in my dressing table, and a 3rd in my drawer at work). It's much easier to pack, especially on a Friday after work to drive "down home", if I can just grab washbags and a few clothes without thinking too hard.

I always take my own, after an awkward experience as a teen. I didn't pack toiletries, assuming I could use a bit of my friend's, then was provided with the Guest Bathroom! I'd never heard of such a thing, but there was no toothpaste in it. The soap on the washbasin was fine for the shower, but not so much for teeth. Visitors here are welcome to use whatever is out in the family bathroom, but I'd be a bit surprised if they went rummaging in the drawers unless they had a sanitary towel emergency. DH has special toiletries for his psoriasis, but they live in the en suite so are safe.

Biddy, that is our situation here too. My DCs are older and have all had their own stuff since they were each about 9 or 10. Having their own nice gel or soap or whatever encouraged them to be enthusiastic about their daily shower. The DDs have their own toiletry bags permanently packed with a toothbrush and mini toothpaste plus sample size deodorant and small shower gel for sleepovers they go to. My own makeup and moisturiser and deodorant are kept in a toiletry bag at home so all I have to do is zip it and pack it. I keep a few duplicate items in my handbag for touching up.

When I have someone staying I put basic toiletries in their bedroom and hope they get the hint that whether they brought their own or not, mine are off limits. The thought of guests scraping their toothbrushes over the family toothpaste gives me the heebejeebies. I also provide a set of bath towels for guests. I have one bathroom and I am pretty sure my guests would prefer to have their towels clearly distinguished from those already in use in the bathroom.