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Original poster

Do you tidy your before hosting a play date?

55 replies

Rainatnight · 31/10/2019 10:46

Hosting a new mum friend today, along with her DS whom DD really likes. Both kids are 3, and each of us has a younger baby too.

House has piles of laundry, crap at bottom of stairs etc. Would you tidy? What do you expect on a play date?

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainatnight · 31/10/2019 10:46

Heading is supposed to be ‘tidy your house’ obviously Blush

OP posts:
sleepyhead · 31/10/2019 10:48

As long as bathroom/kitchen are clean and surfaces aren't covered in crumbs/sticky then no - daily life clutter is fine imo.

ToTheRegimentIWishIWasThere · 31/10/2019 10:49

Yes, I'd tidy. Shove everything on your bed, close the door, run a hoover round. Done.

Lottieskeeper · 31/10/2019 10:51

I always rush around like mad cleaning and tidying before a play date then when the other child comes they and my daughter trash the place and I wish I hadn't bothered.
I'm always secretly thrilled to go to someones house and find it more untidy than my own. Not so impressed if it is actually filthy dirty though.

Delatron · 31/10/2019 10:53

I wouldn’t worry about laundry but maybe move the crap from the bottom of the stairs.
I don’t go crazy but I have a quick whizz around.

Lulualla · 31/10/2019 10:53

I tidy the house to within an inch of his life!
It's normally tidy; I don't like clutter or stuff left lieing about so it isn't usually too bad. But I make sure it's spotless, even all the toys so they kids can easily find what they want when they're here.

We had 2 siblings over for the first time A few weeks ago, and we just went to their house last weekend and omg. There was stuff everywhere. Literally had a path cleared from the front door to each room, but every other bit of floor was piled with stuff. So there are extremes both way.

AppleKatie · 31/10/2019 10:53

Yes I clean and tidy before a play date just as I do before anyone comes to my home.

Mrscog · 31/10/2019 10:53

Just make sure any loos they’re likely to use are clean as are kitchens/dining areas.

I love it when someone’s house is messy too!

CocoLoco87 · 31/10/2019 10:55

Yes I tidy everything to an inch of its life. Right after I've put a stunt pineapple in the fruit bowl and made up some cool Lego scene that is impressive yet realistic for my son to have done Grin (I realise this sounds sarcastic but I'm actually serious). But this is probably why I'm stressed all the time too Sad

Caspianberg · 31/10/2019 11:06

Yeah i would move that stuff. Its 10 mins surely to move laundry and stuff somewhere else.

MyKingdomForBrie · 31/10/2019 11:07

Yep I do, even if it's just the bare minimum hiding the piles!

DDIJ · 31/10/2019 11:08

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Frazzled2207 · 31/10/2019 11:08

A bit but sadly my house has clutter everywhere.
I would def make more of an effort if it was the mum plus a child rather than just a child.

Genuinely don't understand how some parents with kids can keep their houses so clutter free.

ToTheRegimentIWishIWasThere · 31/10/2019 11:09

I wouldn't judge someone else's house for being lived in, but I would absolutely judge my own. I am another stunt pineapple merchant though Grin

ThisThat · 31/10/2019 11:09

Yes I would always tidy/ clean before having people over- esp toilets, kitchen, and the room they'll be playing in. If you need to shove everything else into another room that's an option too

ToTheRegimentIWishIWasThere · 31/10/2019 11:10

Genuinely don't understand how some parents with kids can keep their houses so clutter free.

Ikea Kallax. Kallax, everywhere. It is the only way Grin

CakeNinja · 31/10/2019 11:10

Yes but I like a tidy house all the time anyway so there’s rarely much to do. There might be a load of washing on the table which will be easy to put away but I don’t ever leave things on stairs (major trip hazard) and I am always on at the dc to put things away after using/playing with/wearing things.
However I’m grateful now that the dc organise their own meet ups with friends and parents no longer stay!!

AndysFavouriteToy · 31/10/2019 11:10

Yeah I tidy and clean. I always remember my dh telling me that when he was young his mum would invite local kids over for playdates (their house was always dirty and untidy) and that once they reached primary school age the kids would bully him and say things about his horrible house. He stopped inviting people over and resents his mum.

happypotamus · 31/10/2019 11:11

Yes, because it otherwise looks like a shit tip (don't usually have play dates, mostly for this reason, but the same for anyone coming round). After I have tidied for a long time it still looks messy by other people's standards but less like an absolute tip.
In your situation, I would take the piles of laundry upstairs and chuck them on my bed if I didn't have time to actually put it all away properly, and move as many of the piles of crap as possible but probably also just move to my bedroom where no one will see it because actually putting it all away might be impossible. Clearly, my answers are not something to aspire to though.

KatyCarrCan · 31/10/2019 11:13

I tidy and make sure the toilets and kitchen are clean. DC' playroom and bedroom, I tidy it up but I don't polish it or dust it specially because the DCs will pull stuff out everywhere anyway.

IdblowJonSnow · 31/10/2019 11:14

I over tidy I think. Waste of time really!

CakeNinja · 31/10/2019 11:14

Genuinely don't understand how some parents with kids can keep their houses so clutter free.

No clutter!! Just things we either use, want or need. Not being snarky, but honestly if something doesn’t fit into one of those categories it leaves the house. If it is staying, it has a proper home. Storage is really important but I think people just have way too much stuff and hang onto things unnecessarily.
I grew up in a house where there little ‘piles’ of things here and there, did my head in! Hate having stuff everywhere.
I also think there is a tendency to bring too much ‘stuff’ into homes.
I have 3dc, we have been through our fair share of tat and crap but once it’s fallen out of favour, it gets moved on.
I’m ruthless about decluttering in general.
Once you have less stuff, it’s easier to keep things tidy.

TSSDNCOP · 31/10/2019 11:18

No, but my house is always tidy. You could come right now and I’d happily let you in.

itsabongthing · 31/10/2019 11:22

People who are saying their house is always tidy - what do you genuinely think when you go to another mums house and it’s messy?

I tidy a bit as I am often ashamed of the state of the house and would hate for people to come in and see eg. Discarded worn pull ups on the floor or old dirty dishes in the kitchen. But I think a bit of ‘lived in mess’ in areas like the play room is fine. I also prefer it when I go to someone else’s house and it’s not perfect as it makes me feel more at home!

ThePolishWombat · 31/10/2019 11:24

I make sure any unfolded/unfinished laundry is at least in baskets, run the hoover around and make sure the crap on the stairs isn’t a trip hazard.
That’s about it.
The DCs will likely trash the place during the play date anyway!!
If me and my DCs are invited to someone’s house, I’m not there to inspect the cleanliness of it...I’m there to drink tea and let my kid tire himself out!

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