Do you notice if other peoples houses are tidy?

[Johnny Canuck3]

I've got a woman coming round to visit who I've never met. She's down on holiday and we're taking the opportunity to meet up. Now, my dilemma is that the house is a bit of a pit. Do you think she'll notice? Do you notice the state of other poeples houses? I always think other poeples houses are cleaner than mine - I don't seem to notice dirt if it's in a different setting

Should I knacker myself and clean up (hence having less energy to spend on the visit) or should I feel the fear and leave it dirty?

WWJD?

Of course you notice if other people's houses are dirty.

Should you clean up? Depends how much you care about her opinion.

 

[spanglechick]

Strewth! Can't invite you round for tea, it'll never be clean enough!

With me it's a win win situation for those I visit. If it's really clean I admire the cleanliness of it all. If it is a bit messy I feel good that it has a comfortable lived in feel. If it is a shithole I don't feel quite so bad about my place.

However, visitors have to put up with the fact that my place is too big for me to clean properly.


Excuses excuses it's not that big, it's just I'm a lazy git

see, now i reckon that's all wrong. my flat is far too small to be tidy... everything is in boxes and crates, and then i rummage through finding things and then everything is spilling out of boxesa and crates with other crates stacked on top sio i can get things out of the bottom ones. plus there is paper everywhere... i'm shit with paper.

but my kitchenette is clean and so is the loo - and the bedsheets are fresh. my mum told me those are the important things.

 

[MysteryGuest]

I notice when other people have ironed their socks.



It is a gift, passed down through the generations.

 

[geminisnake]

I believe the photos in post 268 show that I am not quite housewife of the year I did tidy a bit for the very bottom photo, and the hall is tidy today

http://82.138.249.21/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=155956&page=11&pp=25

 

[moomoo]

I have been in a few houses where I wouldn't accept a drink But generally, I don't care if they are tidy or not - I go to visit my friends, not inspect for dust!

If friends are coming here I don't make any special effort, unless it is especially bad! If it is someone official I will make sure the place is vacuumed and tidy (you never know what they are writing about you ).

Of course, now we have a cleaner, it's a little palace all the time

Well, until the children get home from school anyway

 

[onenameshelley]

Strewth! Can't invite you round for tea, it'll never be clean enough!

yeah you can (i would bring cake) i am much better than i used to be, where i wouldnt eat or drink at other people's houses at all, especially those that had cats, these days i can deal with more dirt/mess better than before.

 

[*Miss Daisy*]

I like people with messy houses in the same way I like people whose children are noisier than mine.

As long as you offer a warm welcome and the kitchen and bathroom aren't an obvious ming-fest I think I'd rather visit you than some neurotic clean-freak.

and me poot,, i do clean daily,, used to obsessively, but urban soon sorted that out!

As for other kids being noisey - i love it!,, when my family get together and theres a few children, we're like the bloody Adam's family,, nothing is straight forward, and its a relief when someone else kids are playing up

 

[madzone]

Of course you notice if other people's houses are dirty.

Should you clean up? Depends how much you care about her opinion.

Ah well, there's the rub! If someone came into my house and thought 'I know she has a chronic illness, 3 kids and a smallholding but blimey this house is untidy' I'm not sure she'd be the kind of person whose opinion I'd value much anyway. BUT I'm not brave enough to just leave it. 40 years of conditioning and an ancestry of women with obsessive cleaning habits has left me in a pretty strange state regarding housework. Part of me thinks 'Fuck it, life's too short' but ther's another very loud voice saying 'How could you even think that it's socially acceptable to have dust on your skirting board - you'll be run out of town'. See why I don't do people? They fuck me up

Anyway it's all by the by as she's really poorly and can't come round. Her first holiday in 3 years and she's had to spend it in bed and can't go out. Hurrah!

Of course I don't mean that in the slightest and I really feel for the poor woman and really truly was looking forward to meeting her but fuck me what a stress

 

[trashpony]

Part of me thinks 'Fuck it, life's too short' but ther's another very loud voice saying 'How could you even think that it's socially acceptable to have dust on your skirting board - you'll be run out of town'. See why I don't do people? They fuck me up

Anyway it's all by the by as she's really poorly and can't come round. Her first holiday in 3 years and she's had to spend it in bed and can't go out. Hurrah!

Of course I don't mean that in the slightest and I really feel for the poor woman and really truly was looking forward to meeting her but fuck me what a stress

I know how you feel. It's only my mum I really worry about. I'm convinced she starts checking the skirting boards the moment she arrives.

Apart from her, I worry occasionally that people of different heights/habits from me will notice things that I can't see. Like blokes will come over and notice that I've never dusted on top of my cupboards but I'm 5'4" so I can't see. But I don't worry about it that often - life's too bloody short

 

[Pingu]

untidyness = it shows a house is lived in

dirtyness =

except when it comes to kitchens

i cant stand an untidy kitchen for some reason.

our house is untidy - we have 6 big dogs.. keeping it pristine would be a full time job. but it is clean.

 

[trashpony]

untidyness = it shows a house is lived in

dirtyness =

except when it comes to kitchens

i cant stand an untidy kitchen for some reason.

our house is untidy - we have 6 big dogs.. keeping it pristine would be a full time job. but it is clean.

Do you consider dusty skirting boards dirty? Because I class them as untidy for some reason.

 

[geminisnake]

Do you consider dusty skirting boards dirty? Because I class them as untidy for some reason.

I used to know someone who washed her skirting boards in her whole house EVERY week. The woman really was a clean freak

I personally don't go down on my hands and knees to check my skirting boards very often, I also have so much stuff you can rarely see the damn things Sitting in the living room and just looked, I can see approx 18 inches of skirting board(the room is 12x18ft roughly.

 

[Numbers]

My house is petty much always clean & tidy I have the philosophy that anyone could visit at anytime. it's a bit like making sure you always wear clean briefs, wouldn't want to be in an accident and have skids all over the shop.

but it's not something I ever check when visiting other peeps in their homes, cleanliness that is, not skids.

But I have been known to 'assist' in a quick tidy up at some mates houses, I just can't settle around clutter you see.

 

[rowan]

None of you are making me feel any better


I'm going to put my fingers in my ears now and sing.

Ok, she's coming to visit you, not to look at a show-home. And anyone who has M.E. and young kids cannot be expected to have a spotless home.
And if she doesn't like it, or doesn't understand, then she's not worth having as a friend.

 

[lynne8]

My place is a nightmare right now, packing, washing, dishes!! Arrrrgggggh! I just won't let anyone in until I have cleaned up. Yes, I notice when someone's house is dirty, not messy, but I would never comment and if that person is a friend, it wouldn't change my opinion of them!

 

[madzone]

Ok, she's coming to visit you, not to look at a show-home. And anyone who has M.E. and young kids cannot be expected to have a spotless home.
And if she doesn't like it, or doesn't understand, then she's not worth having as a friend.

I think I ought to print out your post and pin it to the wall Rowan.

She's feeling better now and we're meeting for luch today as she doesn't feel up to driving. So it's ended up being win win