When my mother-in-law moved into our home, she quickly declared she wouldn’t lift a finger, insisting she was merely a “guest.”
Rather than confront her directly or ask her to leave, I decided to take a more creative route—one that turned the idea of being a “guest” into something she couldn’t tolerate for long.
I never imagined Linda, my mother-in-law, would be such a neat freak—yet ironically, she expected me to wait on her hand and foot.
It all started when my husband, Jason, told me Linda had sold her condo and needed a temporary place to stay. I hesitated immediately.
Our past encounters had been far from pleasant—she once critiqued everything from how I made soup to how I folded our bath towels.
“Just until she figures out her next step,” Jason had said.
“And how long is that?” I asked warily.
He shrugged. “A few weeks? Maybe a month?”
I reluctantly agreed but insisted on establishing ground rules. Jason nodded, but I should’ve known he wouldn’t enforce a single one.
Linda arrived with three large suitcases, a jungle of houseplants, and absolutely no sense of boundaries.
At first, I tried to stay optimistic. She filled our kitchen with teas she didn’t drink and made snide remarks about modern “microwave meals” versus “real food.” By week two, though, her presence felt permanent—and intrusive.
She’d leave dirty dishes everywhere, never rinse them, and our shared bathroom mirror was always streaked with her makeup.
She also took to tossing her laundry in with mine, assuming I’d gladly handle it.
I made an effort to be polite.
“Linda, could you please put your towel in the hamper?” I asked one day.
She smiled sweetly. “Oh, honey, I’m a guest! You don’t ask guests to do chores.”
A guest. In the home I helped pay for.
Jason was no help. “She’s my mom,” he said. “Let her be comfortable.”
Comfortable? She was living like a queen while I played maid.
Then came the final straw: my sacred Saturday morning coffee.
I stumbled into the kitchen to find her sipping the last of my special blend from my favorite mug. Around her, the kitchen was a disaster zone.
“Linda, could you help with the dishes today?” I asked calmly.
She didn’t even look up. “I’m sure you’ll get to it, sweetheart.”
Something inside me snapped. But I didn’t yell. I smiled—because a perfect plan had just bloomed in my mind.
If she wanted to be treated like a guest, then so be it.
The next morning, she awoke to a printed menu on her nightstand titled: “Welcome to the Family B&B!” with options like cereal, toast, or a “chef’s surprise” of leftover scraps. She came into the kitchen, puzzled.
“What’s this?”
“A little something to make your mornings easier,” I said cheerfully. “Guests shouldn’t have to fend for themselves.”
When she asked for her usual omelet, I informed her that “upgraded meals” weren’t included in the complimentary stay.
She sulked but took the cereal.
Tuesday night, I initiated “quiet hours” by turning off the Wi-Fi at 11 p.m. When she stomped out of her room in protest, I explained it was part of our new “security protocol.”
By Wednesday, I added laminated signs wherever I cleaned her messes:
“Housekeeping in Progress – Do Not Disturb.”
Bathroom, kitchen, living room—you name it. She hated them.
Thursday, I stopped cooking. Instead, I left a stack of takeout menus in her room. When she asked what was for dinner, I chirped, “I figured you’d want to choose! Guests deserve variety.”
On Sunday, I placed an envelope on her dresser. Inside: a mock invoice.
Laundry Service – $50
Maid Service – $30
Coffee & Breakfast Supplies – $20
Hospitality Fee – $15
At the bottom, I’d written, “Thanks for staying at the Family B&B! Kindly settle your bill by the end of your visit.”
Her angry gasp echoed through the hallway moments later.
“Is this a joke?” she demanded, storming into the kitchen.
I sipped my coffee. “Just following the guest logic. You don’t clean, so you pay for service.”
Furious, she turned to Jason. “Your wife is charging me to live here!”
Jason, now seeing it all clearly, finally sighed. “Mom… maybe it’s time you found your own place.”
And within a week, she did.
The house returned to peace. No more dishes, no more towel trails, no more backhanded comments.
Jason later admitted, “Maybe you were right all along.”
As for me? I sat back on my clean, quiet couch with a fresh cup of coffee, savoring the sweetest victory.
Linda didn’t clean up after herself, but in the end, she cleaned herself right out the door.