To think that saying your house is 'lived in' basically means it's a shit tip?!!

Mine is definitely borderline shit tip. I can get it up to standard without too much work but clutter (toys, books, shoes, basket of clean washing, paperwork etc) in most rooms most of the time. I have house rabbits in the winter as well which doesn't help although they live out of the way in the conservatory. Much prefer the summer when you can air the house out properly and dry washing outside and, crucially, send the kids out to play therefore reducing mess indoors.

If I described someone’s house as ‘lived in’ I would mean that it’s comfortable and looks like actual, real people, live there.

This, not a showcase house with no personal belongings.

But I expect a lot of people would say this to be diplomatic and mean it's a tip .

@Swimtobreathe I get that.
My friend has a lounge and then a kitchen diner. The lounge is totally out of bounds until the eve when all showered and clean pjs,. No food or anything in there. She decorated it pure white.. I mean it looks stunning but not a family place.
The kids have to either play in bedrooms or at dining table. I hate taking my dd there.

I call mine lived in. And its far from a shit tip. Every toy etc is put back in its rightful place after tea and all parts together. Ie a shape sorter, not just thrown in a box. Never piles of washing up or laundry, or cups etc lying around

However. I've stopped hoovering daily. And mopping daily.. Partly as still decorating and shattered being pg and dd going through a rough sleep regression
So to me that's lived in

My old place was a mess of toys in the day but once she was in bed and we were all showered etc. The hoovering floors polishing bathroom cleaned kitchen cleaned every night without fail. Then I could relax.

I look back now and think it was so unnecessary to a point because I've managed to ignore it if not hoovered one day etc since moving.

Nope

If I described someone’s house as ‘lived in’ I would mean that it’s comfortable and looks like actual, real people, live there.

Maybe a few dishes draining, a bit of washing drying, toys on the floor...

Not dirty, massively messy or in need of decoration- just like people actually live there hence the term ‘lived in’ if it’s a shit tip,I’d say that it’s a shit tip!

My house is a shit tip, I'm the first to admit it.

I take it to mean don,t expect a show home. Not necesserily that it,s a complete mess.

"Lived in" may mean untidy, eg books/bags on tables, coats on chairs etc.
I wouldn't associate it with a shit tip.

Sorry if this sounds a bit serious, but as a social worker, to me 'lived in' is a happy home - where a house gets 'used' - for family life - compared to a show home, or a neglect home, where kids might be excluded from certain parts of the house, due to 'standards' or lack of interest.(different motivations, but same impact on the child)

Mine is definitely lived in! Its clean but I long since learned to pick my battles with DH as regards tidiness, and have been sliding into chaos ever since

I like to describe my house as ‘interesting chaos’.

My house is lived in 😂

What Hecateh said, and WalkersAreNotTheOnlyCrisps

To me a 'showhome' or 'minimalist' home isn't practical.
My home has practical things - like a coat rack by the door, slippers in the hallway, my laptop down the side of the TV, as, when I sit don to watch TV, I check e-mails and MN at the same time. I've got a couple of films I'm intending to watch on DVD by the side of the TV, and there are birthday cards up from my dd's birthday. I've got family photos out and about, and my sewing is tucked behind the chair for when I'm in the mood to do that.

A detective coming into my home could tell quite a bit about me, and that is because my home is 'lived in'.
I occasionally go into one friend's house and there is nothing out anywhere. I find it quite eerie and it makes me uncomfortable. Even when she makes a drink, there are no coasters on the table she has to get them out. It's just 'odd' to me and doesn't look like anyone lives there. Not, in any way 'homely'

Maybe it is just not a show home? My house is a bit like the home I grew up in. Lots of furniture, rugs, pictures and possessions collected over the years or inherited and much loved. It has grown around me and I like it that way. Whilst not massively organised it is tidy enough and things tend to have a personal connection or mean something. What it is not is 'matchy' or co-ordinated in a next catalogue way. So timeless!

I don't think it means dirty necessarily, maybe just a little worn.

I'd also rather sit in a lived in house than a show house if I was visiting someone.

I clean non stop(work full time and have literally just stopped doing stuff), decorate every 6 months, yet I still think my house is 'lived in'. Too many pets and people.

Means it needs a bit of a decorating refresh and possibly decluttering I'd say

Not necessarily. although it sometimes does

I would described my house as lived in and it is only a year old. My suite is 25yrs old, and is still in good comfortable condition - but definitely 'lived in'. Everywhere is clean but can be untidy and 'lived in' at times because my only living space and is totally open plan. My bedroom is 'lived in' because I have downsized and there is still a fair amount of stuff to be sold or freecycled (especially as my previous house was not lived in but 'dressed' for the last year until buyers finally moved in last week and I emptied it).

Also some people would just use 'lived in' as the alternative for 'show home' - and I know of those 2, unless the 'lived in' one is filthy, I prefer the lived in one.

I think people who say that actually are aware that that's what it means... I rather think that's the point.

Then my house is very lived in. Its what you get when you have a 4 year old running around having fun and playing with stuff all day. Mess and dirt and different. Life's too short to care about a bit of mess.

Yes.

Yes probably.