Visiting in-laws: how long is polite before it feels too long

In a small place with two people working from home and opposite sleep schedules, two nights is the sweet spot for hosting in-laws without everyone going stir-crazy. Think Friday evening to Sunday late morning so you get one full day together and no one is living out of your living room for half a week. If they want to come midweek, I would cap it at one night or better yet have them stay nearby and meet up for dinners since work hours and early rising will collide with your nights. Build in a buffer day on either side for you and the cat to reset.

Script for the invite: "We would love to have you for two nights. With both of us working from home in a small space and a shy cat, that length works best for everyone. Could you arrive after 5 on Friday and head out Sunday before lunch?" If they hint at a longer stay, try this: "We would love more time together, and our place maxes out at two nights. If you want extra days, we can help find a nearby hotel or we can split the cost so we can hang out during the day and give everyone good sleep." Set weekday boundaries clearly: "We are heads down 9 to 5 in the office room, so mornings are quiet time and we will be on calls. Feel free to enjoy a café or a walk." For the schedule mismatch, say, "We tend to sleep late, so before 9 we keep the apartment dim and quiet, and after 10 at night we wind down in the bedroom." And for the cat, "We keep the cat's safe room closed when guests are here, so please keep that door shut and let her come to you." Having a clear departure time in the invite removes weirdness on the last day.

Treat it like a shared calendar, not vibes. Two nights is the cap on weekdays, maybe three if it is a chill weekend. Put arrival after work and departure before lunch to dodge the early bird vs night owl clash. Block your work hours and make it explicit that mornings are quiet time. Script: 'We'd love to have you Fri-Sun morning. We both work from home, so two nights is perfect and we'll do a big breakfast sendoff before our Monday meetings.'

Two nights is standard for a small place with weekday work. Schedule arrival after dinner and departure before late morning. State quiet hours to manage the early riser and night owl mismatch. Reserve one room as a work zone and keep it off limits. Script it as, 'We can host two nights. We'll see you Friday evening and wrap Sunday morning so we are rested for work.'

Two nights max. Day three gets messy and I start misplacing my phone again. Say, 'We can host two nights since we're working from home.' 'Let's plan Fri to Sun morning, then we'll send you off with coffee so the cat can reclaim the living room.'

Learned this the hard way after a trip where I lost my bag, my charger, and my patience, and the week-long couch stay nearly did me in. Two nights is the sweet spot and it keeps everyone cheerful. Try, 'Let's do Fri-Sun morning, we'll make pancakes, then give the queen her castle back.' Absolute win.

Two nights, hard stop, with a sunny 'checkout by brunch' vibe.