When my mother-in-law, Linda, moved in, she made it clear she wasn’t planning to help around the house. Calling herself a “guest,” she refused to clean, left messes everywhere, and treated our home like a hotel. My husband, Jason, defended her behavior, leaving me to pick up after two adults while juggling everything else.
The final straw came when she used my special coffee and favorite mug—surrounded by the chaos she’d created. I politely asked for her help, but she brushed me off like I was the help. That’s when I decided to fully embrace her “guest” status and give her the real hotel treatment.
I printed breakfast menus, cut the WiFi at night, and posted housekeeping signs after cleaning up her mess. Dinner was no longer home-cooked—I left takeout menus instead. The cherry on top? I handed her a detailed invoice for her “stay,” just like any guest would receive.
Linda was livid. She ran to Jason, expecting support, but he surprised us both: “Maybe it’s for the best,” he said. A week later, she moved out. The house was peaceful, the dishes were done, and Jason finally understood. If she didn’t want to clean, she was welcome to leave—and she did.