Be My Guest

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Summertime often means invitations to stay at a friend's beach house, lake house or cabin. Whether your friends rent or own, it is your responsibility as a guest to pitch in with chores, errands and possibly even cooking. K. Cooper Ray, the creator of the blog SocialPrimer.com, takes the guesswork out of being a gracious guest with nine etiquette essentials.

1. Remember Where You Are

"The number one rule of being a houseguest is that a guest should never act like a guest," says Ray. "If you're invited to someone's house for the weekend, don't drop your bags at the door and expect to be waited on hand and foot." Ray recounts a trip he took to a friend's house in Southampton, N.Y.: "One of the guests acted like he had checked into The Four Seasons," he recalls. "He just lounged by the pool the whole time, never offering to help."