Dear Massi, My sister-in-law and her husband and baby are staying with me for 2 months while they get some work done in their house.

They're driving me insane.

They've already burnt a hole in my curtain in the spare room because they kept the lamp on all night facing the curtain.

She is so disgusting and lazy and won't throw the nappies in the bin. I keep finding soiled nappies in the bedroom cupboard.

I even had to call a plumber because she flushed her sanitary towel down the toilet and the whole toilet got blocked.

Then she had the audacity to blame me! My husband knows his sister is lying because I am breastfeeding my baby and haven't had a period in months.

She doesn't help with the housework at all. She sits around watching dramas all day. But the moment my husband walks in the door, she jumps up off the sofa and starts washing dishes.

She takes my clothes out of my wardrobe without asking my permission and doesn't even wash them when they get dirty. 

I'm sick of this but I don't want to cause a major argument. What shall I do? 

Massi says, Living together in such taut conditions will lead to heightened tensions. Very often minor and trivial episodes can be exacerbated.

You said these living arrangements are short term, so, as you rightly said, saying something may lead to an argument. 

If the problems persist, perhaps your husband can speak to his sister to establish a certain code of conduct in your house.

Otherwise, a diplomatic stance may keeps relations civil during this short term period.