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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:
ThePolishWombat · 31/10/2019 11:26

Oh yeah and check the toilet Blush
A few weeks ago DD did a last minute poo before school, didn’t flush and I totally forgot about it until my friend went up there Blush Luckily she’s a close friend and wasn’t bothered Grin

SoyDora · 31/10/2019 11:29

If I went to someone else’s house and there were discarded worn pull ups on the floor I’d be a bit disgusted if I’m entirely honest.
If it was messy but hygienic I wouldn’t be bothered.
One of my best friends has 4 children in a very small house and the clutter is unbelievable. I couldn’t live like that but I don’t judge her for it. Her house and up to her how she lives!

WhiskeyLullaby · 31/10/2019 11:34

Depends who is coming. Good friends or just children , I don't bother with either cleaning or tidying.
New people I definitely clean(not to MN standards) and stuff gets shoved in various boxes and storage spaces.
No idea about the grownups, but the kids love coming here.

DrinkSangriaInThePark · 31/10/2019 11:37

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

I am genuinely speechless. Why would you need to fake a Lego scene?

OnlineShopping · 31/10/2019 11:41

Depends how good friends we are Grin but usually I run the vacuum cleaner over, load breakfast stuff in the dishwasher and wipe down the kitchen surfaces. Otherwise the rest of the house is generally clean, although there might be piles of laundry etc upstairs.

thaegumathteth · 31/10/2019 11:50

Cant decide if I'm more shocked by the discarded worn pulls ups or the stunt Lego set ....

Original poster
Rainatnight · 31/10/2019 12:05

Ok, I’ll have a tidy. I’m knackered and was hoping to go for a relaxed, we’re all slightly chaotic mums together, but accept it’s not the done thing!

Not doing stunt Lego, though...

OP posts:
QueenWhatevs · 31/10/2019 12:09

I've been known to invite people over specifically to motivate me to clean up when I couldn't otherwise be bothered Grin

CocoLoco87 · 31/10/2019 12:09

Stunt Lego to give the impression my kids haven't just watched tv all morning of course! (Obvs I don't do this once I'm actually friends with people and we know each other's real standards Grin)

wombinside · 31/10/2019 12:10

@itsabongthing My house is always tidy..people say it's immaculate but it's never clean enough for me. Anyway I don't think anything of my friends houses and would only care/be bothered if it was filthy.

My house is a reflection of how I feel about being judged etc. (I grew up in a filthy house) That doesn't extend to other people's houses.

HalyardHitch · 31/10/2019 12:11

If it's a friend who has been over several times then they see my house in various states - sometimes spotless, sometimes untidy. Mostly it's just that the dishwasher needs stacking, toys everywhere and laundry waiting to go in the machine.

New friends I would definitely tidy for incase they thought my house was a permanent state

Lulualla · 31/10/2019 12:13

@CocoLoco87
Why do you need to create a Lego scene? If your kid follows the instructions on the sets then they have a scene ready made!

My sideboard has the complete Hogwarts set on it and a ninjago ship. I didn't need to do anything! He just follows the books.

Camomila · 31/10/2019 12:20

I set up scenes with DSs cars/houses/little people sometimes. DH builds elaborate train tracks with passing loops.

Not for playdates, just for DS! Its quite fun setting them up all nicely Blush Setting up equipment in an interesting way was one of my favourite things about working at a nursery.

And yup, I tidy up for playdate. I quite often offer to host as tidying up motivation!

TSSDNCOP · 31/10/2019 12:23

As with many discussions on MN just because I do things a certain way doesn’t mean I think or even how other people do it, FF:BF who cares if the kids fed, Work/don’t work: who cares how you afford to pay for your family etc

Tell you though, discarded pull-ups and sinks full of obviously old washing up would make me wonder if a person was coping well. So then I’d think, offer more pay dates to help out.

TeaAddict235 · 31/10/2019 12:23

Yes, I make it presentable. This means I take random bits and put them where they belong, eg take jumpers off the sofa, slippers back at the entrance. I clean the bathroom and make the kitchen hygienic. I often offer a tea and then the guest wanders in to the kitchen with me, so I've learnt not to kill their appetite.

I've been put off wanting a tea at someone's house by entering the kitchen with them. I was disappointed that they had kids over for a birthday tea too. The place would have been closed down or given a 1 rating if it were a restaurant. DH has forbade me from accepting invites from them again, and I agree.

CherryBathBomb · 31/10/2019 12:27

Always!
And don't forget the air freshener SmileWink

leghairdontcare · 31/10/2019 12:28

My cleaner comes on Thursday morning so I only ever organise playdates for Thursday afternoon for maximum tidyness.

Weepingwillows12 · 31/10/2019 12:30

I always rush around cleaning. My house needs renovating though and frankly isn't clean as needs gutting and new stuff in to get it really clean. Am always a bit embarrassed so clean like mad if people come. One of the reasons I tend not to have many play dates!

Conversely I never notice the state of someone else's house and wouldn't mind at all if it was a bit messy.

Barbarara · 31/10/2019 12:34

Now that my house is mostly under control and clean I don’t tidy when people come over. Back when I was lurching from chaos to crisis, I’d frantically stuff everything in the spare room, under the stairs and into random cupboards and then forget where I’d hidden the laundry.

itsabongthing · 31/10/2019 12:39

Re. The discarded pull ups - yes I would be mortified if anyone saw one hence why I would panic if someone came to the door and I hadn’t done a check round, and yes it probably is a sign of not coping/living quite chaotically.

Frazzled2207 · 31/10/2019 12:49

@CakeNinja ok, but do you actually just throw out everything?
I think my biggest issue is really struggling to actually chuck stuff out, I try and recycling/reuse/sell everything before I will actually chuck but of course it's massively hard work trying to do all of that.
The "throwaway" culture does my head in and is so environmentally awful, that said it's impossible to be responsible and clutter free at the same time isn't it?
That all being said, the biggest components of clutter in my house are just things like random bits of paper that come home from school, bits of toys, bits of clothing, all of which arguably either have a home or should go straight in bin.

Frazzled2207 · 31/10/2019 12:51

@ToTheRegimentIWishIWasThere
Ah yes have loads of Kallax! But also loads of random Stuff impossible to categorise

vraimentvraiment · 31/10/2019 12:58

Yes, I clean everything but don't worry if toys are out. Doesn't have to be immaculate but there's no chance that my living room will stay even tidy with two toddlers

Drogosnextwife · 31/10/2019 14:29

Yes I clean to within an inch of its like too. Makes it easier to get tidy again after they leave.

CakeNinja · 31/10/2019 14:52

@Frazzled2207 it depends on what it is.
Usually it gets passed on, I have nieces and nephews younger than mine so things like clothes/toys/books/games get donated to them.
Clothes passed their best get put in the clothes donation bin at the end of my road.
Paperwork gets recycled.
I do try not to actively bring things into the house that are disposable but If something needs binning I don’t feel guilty about it.