Do you do dishes after meal when company is there?

[SnuggleBuggles]

If you have friends or family over for a meal, do you do dishes while they are there or wait till they leave?

I clean the table off but I don't like to do the dishes till after they leave; I tend to just pile things up in the kitchen and walk away. :)

I would rather spend time with my guests and my kitchen isn't really conducive to a lot of bodies working in there at once nor is there anywhere for a guest to just sit and chat while I work.

I have cleaned up while they are there and it is nice to have the chore done but it just doesn't feel natural to me.

What do other people do?

Beth

[Jenny_A]

I do the exact same thing you do! I would rather spend time with my guests. Dishes can wait!

Funny though, I've had some guests that I can tell it really bothers them that the dishes sit there. One guest started doing them herself after dinner. I think she was meaning it as a kind gesture, but it made me uncomfortable and I would have preferred for her to just have left them.

[LexyLou]

I usually do them. I don't clean up the kitchen so that it's spotless but I load the dishwasher.

It's funny, I guess I've always felt that if I don't my guests will think I'm a slob. I never even thought my guests would think it's rude I'm spending some time in the kitchen instead of with them. But that's something to definitely think about.

[wencit]

It depends on the guests. If it's my family or just the regular gang over for our usual get-together + game night, then I will go ahead and do the dishes. If it's friends we don't see very often or "special company," then I'll ignore the dishes and spend more time with our guests.

[TonFirst]

I do what you do. Honestly, it makes me uncomfortable when my host starts washing dishes/loading the dishwasher when we (the guests) are still there. Sort of a "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here" vibe.

Then, after our guests leave, my husband and I clean up while we finish off any leftover wine.

[KpbS]

Dishes piled in my kitchen near the sink or in it don't bother me at all. I'd much rather do them later and visit w/ company. Unless the meal was a really big production and the friends actually helped in the prep w/ the meal, then I wouldn't mind a group clean-up effort.

[kijip]

Only if the company is close enough to us that they just help us clean up (like our very best friends). Otherwise, it get's left until they are gone. This is because I prefer to focus on my company while they are here than focus on the kitchen.

[gatorsmom]

I do the exact same thing you do! I would rather spend time with my guests. Dishes can wait!

Funny though, I've had some guests that I can tell it really bothers them that the dishes sit there. One guest started doing them herself after dinner. I think she was meaning it as a kind gesture, but it made me uncomfortable and I would have preferred for her to just have left them.

A big :yeahthat: . I'd rather visit with our guests. But we have a couple of well-meaning friends that immediately start washing dishes which makes me cringe. Especially because they usually are a little tipsy and I don't want them getting clumsy with my dishes!! I've actually had to laughingly tell them they make me nervous and then they laughingly back down (whew!).

[ha98ed14]

I do exactly what you said. Clear the table to serve dessert and coffee, but leave the dishes... sometimes til the morning :bag

[baymom]

If it's family or close friends, then I usually do the dishes. Our kitchen is fairly large and open to both the dinning room and the family room, so it's easy to do dishes while chatting...but usually it becomes more of a group activity that gets done in no time. Someone wiping down counters, putting away left overs, getting coffee and dessert ready, ect. We are fairly casual entertainers, I guess.

However, I never do them if it's friends we don't have over as often...would much rather spend time with them. Plus, I worry that they might perceive it as a hint to leave, or something.

[MMMommy]

We hardly ever entertain in a "formal" way and usually only have really close friends or family over for meals. So I do tend to clear and wash the dishes while they are sitting around and relaxing after the meal.

[gatorsmom]

but leave the dishes... sometimes til the morning :bag

I always leave them til the morning! Well, i did before children (yes, I still remember those days...). Then DH and I would do the dishes together and enjoy rehashing the night before and comparing notes. Ah, the good ol' days....

[infomama]

It depends on the guests. If it's my family or just the regular gang over for our usual get-together + game night, then I will go ahead and do the dishes. If it's friends we don't see very often or "special company," then I'll ignore the dishes and spend more time with our guests.
:yeahthat:

[Neatfreak]

We hardly ever entertain in a "formal" way and usually only have really close friends or family over for meals. So I do tend to clear and wash the dishes while they are sitting around and relaxing after the meal.

Same here. It was a little more intensive this past Christmas as we don't have a dishwasher ...

[Moneypenny]

I clear the dishes while I am making the announcement, "Oh, I'm just going to leave these 'til morning. Who wants more wine/beer/coffee?"

[Naranjadia]

I do exactly what you said. Clear the table to serve dessert and coffee, but leave the dishes... sometimes til the morning :bag



I always leave them til the morning! Well, i did before children (yes, I still remember those days...). Then DH and I would do the dishes together and enjoy rehashing the night before and comparing notes. Ah, the good ol' days....

Wait, I'm grasping to understand. ;) I am more likely to leave them til morning since kids. Or is that what you meant?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I clear the dishes while I am making the announcement, "Oh, I'm just going to leave these 'til morning. Who wants more wine/beer/coffee?"

Ooh, I like that. I don't want people to feel compelled to help.

I had thought I was the only one who left the dishes. Glad to know I am not alone!

Beth

[Melaine]

It depends on the guests. If it's my family or just the regular gang over for our usual get-together + game night, then I will go ahead and do the dishes. If it's friends we don't see very often or "special company," then I'll ignore the dishes and spend more time with our guests.
:yeahthat:

[wellyes]

Honestly, it makes me uncomfortable when my host starts washing dishes/loading the dishwasher when we (the guests) are still there. Sort of a "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here" vibe.

ITA, I can't stand it when they start doing dishes when I'm visiting. It seems like having a clean kitchen is more important to them then entertaining. Plus I always feel obligated to help. And the worst is when it's wife/girlfriend doing the dishes, so it ends up being "women in the kitchen, men relaxing over coffee". I know some families have traditions around that - but I do not - I'd prefer to just sit and chat.

[mommyp]

We leave the dishes when friends are over too. When we have family over though, they're always staying with us so then we just hang out in the kitchen and do them together.

[vonfirmath]

Depends on the guest and the meal.

Right now, we have to at least do some cleanup or there is no counter space even to pour drinks later in the evening.

[nov04]

it varies depending on what the guests like. I know some like to just leave them as i do, others insist on helping. So we all join in.

[HIU8]

I do enough so I don't have a pile of dirty dishes sitting by the side of the sink for all to see (you can see the entire kitchen from the dining room since both rooms are open and separated only by a peninsula). I do not start major cleaning and putting food away until after dinner is completely over. Most of the time this is to let folks know that it's late, we have to get the kids to bed and clean up totally tonight. A few times I have waited (when not family or really good friends). Plus, my family and friends pitch in or stand there and talk to me and I like that better than going downstairs and sitting more formal like.