Where do you put your personal stuff when visitors stay.

I don’t have anything that I would worry about so any papers would stay just where they are I ve had many many people stay in my home (mature overseas students from literally all ove4 the world ) it never ever entered my head to hide anything away and I ve never ever felt anyone has overstepped any personal boundaries

We recently shredded all the old letters we sent to each other before we were married - thought it best before we drop dead or go doolally so the children dont get thir hands on thm. I have to admit I did read them through first but DH wasn't interested enough !

I always put things away when my mother came to stay as she loved to pry, awful as that sounds.
She would read letters and look at bank statements.
When my C had their own homes I told them to do the same when she visited.
I was always very sad and embarrassed about it.
She thought there was nothing wrong with it, she was family and should know everything about us all.

I burnt all my old 40+ year old letters from my husband. He was away a lot and the letters he wrote are a bit risqué. I poured the ashes into a big jar and it’s on my bookcase. I do look at the ashes and smile because it’s just me who knows the contents. The important papers are upstairs in an unlocked case. Who’d want to look at deeds, life insurances ect except our close family if we both died unexpectedly. I did hide a very expensive ruby before last years holiday and now I’m unable to find it. Anyone out there with psychic power that can help?

With regret I have to say that one particular family member does like to poke into paperwork, drawers etc. So when they come we do take care to make things a bit less accessible.

Thanks for all the replies. The response seems to reflect the nosiness of visitors and the presence of any really personal letters etc.
An idea I read about many years ago is to stand together with other hslf and burn photos and letters before one of us pops off because the contents are so personal.
For now I have ordered a lockable aluminium case that can be easily transported .

@Morethan2 I've taken to sending myself an email of where I've hidden my valuables when I go on holiday.

A locked filing cabinet.
Just hope we never lose the key.

Stansgran that made me laugh because after I was burgled the next time I went away I hid what bit of money I had in the house in a great hiding place It was a good one because when I got back I was like a headless chicken trying to remember where I d hidden it I had written myself a coded clue in my diary but that didn’t help at all it was about a week later I went to put a light scarf on and there folded in it was my money ?
I think it’s so sad that people get rid of love letters it’s your history good or bad risqué or boring I hope my kids have a good laugh at some of mine but I reckon they won’t even read them everything will go whoosh into the bin

I keep meaning to buy a fire proof safe to keep in the cupboard under the stairs. For privacy and in case we have to make a quick exit.

I have two secret places in my home, keep birth certs and other docs where they will not be moved.

But - I have a few old photos of people, that are meant for no one else to see, only me. Good memories, but yes, naughty.
I must get rid of them!

Good idea Stansgran too late now but I’ll do it in future if it ever turns up or take a photo on my iPad because I take that with me wherever I go.

Ooh Alie ?

We had a fireproof safe installed that is reasonably accessible although not obvious. The reason was that, like BlueBelle, we went abroad but my OH decided to put credit cards, bus pass and some keys (anything he didn't want to take with him) in a safe place. And yes, it was nearly 4 months before they turned up again!

My mother was also very nosey, I used to put any post out if sight before she visited. I don't worry about anyone else although, wouldn't leave letters, bills etc., lying about if we went away.

I suppose I ought to say that those photos are not online or computer or phone and never will be now.

Day6; I have a diary from when the children were small. It was also at the start of my marriage falling apart, so there are things in it that I wouldn't want my kids to read. Looking back on their childhood I tend to think of picnics and bunny rabbits and long summer holiday but, in fact it's full of 'the children argued all day', 'I've ate too much again''I'm really tired' etc etc. Bit of an eye opener, really. Part of me wants to burn it but, somehow, I can't. It doesn't make me happy to read it, just sad that it was so long ago.