I’ve had two groups this summer who created excessive garbage, mostly due to using disposable cups, plates etc. I provide glass, plastic and ceramic dishes, cups and glasses.
I’m in the process of writing new rules for this issue. I’d appreciate any input on what worked. I’d like to forbid disposable dishes etc.
The group that just left were here for two days. This is what they left. My guests can’t take garbage to the dump as it’s only open a few days a week.
I don’t think you can limit how much garbage a group generates. I have had some guests who tossed almost nothing, and others that could have filled a bin. Some people are here to shop. Some people bring in take out. Some people consume a case a beer a night. Some people use 3 rolls of toilet paper while others only use a 1/2 for the same amount of time.
If you require that they use your ceramic dishes, are you going to make them wash them as well? Will they wash them well enough that you don’t have to wash them again?
I really think this would be a loosing battle, but if you can win it, all the more power to you!
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Garbage in, garbage out. You make garbage? you take garbage!
My dump is also only open a few days a week. Doesnt matter. not my trash, its yours.
I ask them to bag as they go.
my rule:
All trash must be removed from the property upon check out.
Take it with you – don’t leave it in my carport!
If its the day of check out and all else fails, I suggest that they take it with them to the car rental place, which has plenty of rubbish disposal bins.
I wouldn’t prohibit plastic cups and such. That’s getting a bit too draconian.
Do you offer any rubbish removal included? Like a small size bin?
I don’t think you can control their garbage. For my in-city, non-resort rental, it is a part of the business because travelers either eat-out or do take-out food and use paper & plastic-ware because they don’t want to cook & do dishes. I have weekly city/county trash pickup with a large rolling bin. I am always surprised because guests routinely fill it after a 4-7 day stay My rule is take trash to bin. I wheel it around to the pick up area and after wheel it back to the rear of the townhouse. If it is excessive, at least it is bagged & I can slip it in to the neighbor’s bin (which I wheel to the curb for pick up). Thank goodness I don’t have to take it to the dump. Every area is different. (For my resort area condo there are dumpsters-yipee.
Guests are to take out their trash upon leaving.)
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They have a large size kitchen bin and a small bathroom one. I provide trash bags in several sizes for their convenience. 
I agree that you probably can’t stop people from doing this. This is just one of those “things” that comes with hosting. People on vacation are going to be people on vacation. Your job as a good host is to figure out (always within reason of course!) what your guests need and want, and then figure out how to provide it to them with the least amount of cost/inconvenience to you.
With regard to trash, we have two large bins by our garage where we put the full bags of trash from the house until trash pick up day. For whatever reason, guests see those bins and decide to empty out the trash from their cars into them. The problem is our town will only take trash that is bagged, so I was constantly going through the bins, sorting returnables and bagging the rest. Not the most fun thing to do. So I bought a cheap kitchen size trash can that I can put a kitchen size bag in, and labeled all three bins. So now if guests decide to unload their trash while on my property, at least I can just take the full bag and put it in the correct bin instead of having to touch it all.
I could have added a new house rule to not put loose trash in the outside bins, but to me this seemed like a better way to go. Clearly, it’s a service my guests want, and now it’s easier to provide it for them.
Um — stop hosting? ( kidding) I guess either require guests to take it with them or leave detailed instructions on where they are to dispose of it. In addition to my bins in the driveway, i have a large trash can and a recyling bin right next to the guest deck – can’t miss em. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of guests that have actually used the bins, despite the large colorful fridge magnet from my local govt explaining what goes into recycling. Too subtle I guess!
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