Page 3 | how to turn from a slob into a neat person?

HotChocolateAndMarshmellows · 2021-07-21T14:01:16+00:00

Hello, Can anyone give me tips on how to not be a slob anymore? I'm very messy and want to be cleaner and neater, but I don't know where to start. It's all so overwhelming to me. I always admire the clean houses of my friends and want to be like them. x

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 22/07/2021 09:50

Some of it's timing too - don't clean the kitchen right before making dinner. It means that you have a clean kitchen for approximately 5 minutes before messing it up again. Do it after dinner and then it will be clean for breakfast and lunch.

Spottysausagedogs · 22/07/2021 11:06

@EmeraldShamrock
Can I have your address please? I'm going to send my DH round to yours for a couple of weeks as clearly you have the skills to sort him out that I've never possessed (incidentally neither did his ex or his roommate from uni days, who were equally unimpressed, so I won't take it too personally)
Also can you tell me what you're using for leverage? When we live in a world where even though I have a full time job, 3 little kids and a teenage stepson, it still falls to me to keep the house looking tidy and clean because I am the only one who is judged negatively by (most!) other women who clearly haven't caught up with feminism.
Why should he give a shiny shit, nobody's judging him, right? I can get angry and lay down the law as much as I like or not, doesn't make the slightest bit of difference
Oh wait, I could kick him out. "So why did you kick the father of your children out? Because he wouldn't do the housework? Oh but he works soooooooo hard, that's just not good enough reason to break up a family, is it?"

If it were that easy you would never hear women moan about it, they'd just put their big girl pants on wouldn't they, and everything would be sorted. Please don't try to make out I'm the only one who's in this position, I apparently have to count myself lucky that my DH actually fills the dishwasher occasionally, or does the washing because I refuse to and he wants clean clothes for himself
Because honestly according to pretty much every single woman I've ever known, that's progressive!

EmeraldShamrock · 22/07/2021 12:54

Can I have your address please? I'm going to send my DH round to yours for a couple of weeks as clearly you have the skills to sort him out that I've never possessed(incidentally neither did his ex or his roommate from uni days, who were equally unimpressed, so I won't take it too personally)
Also can you tell me what you're using for leverage? When we live in a world where even though I have a full time job, 3 little kids and a teenage stepson, it still falls to me to keep the house looking tidy and clean because I am the only one who is judged negatively by (most!) other women who clearly haven't caught up with feminism.
My leverage is I'm a bit scary when I get overwhelmed.
Tbf most say he is very good but it shouldn't be a case of him being good, he lives there.
As a partner he is suppose to help not hinder, share the load.
Mind you mine is driving me around the bend today, he is a good cleaner, he doesn't think for himself. I organised a day out today feel like mother hen thinking ahead for the family.
Fuck me all the women should live together .
PS don't worry about women judging you, no matter what we do it is never enough.
Clean one room for yourself to relax or read.

EmeraldShamrock · 22/07/2021 13:32

Silly me. I didn't realise you were being sarcastic I skim read

If it were that easy you would never hear women moan about it, they'd just put their big girl pants on wouldn't they, and everything would be sorted. Please don't try to make out I'm the only one who's in this position, I apparently have to count myself lucky that my DH actually fills the dishwasher occasionally, or does the washing
I meant put your big girl pants on and sort out the your lazy OH and stop excusing his attitude and behaviour as he has always been like that.
I certainly wouldn't consider any woman lucky if their DH manages to fill the dishwasher occasionally.
You may not be the only woman doing it, you're the only one in your home, you're the only capable of stopping your family treating you like a slave.

ivykaty44 · 22/07/2021 13:56

do one room at a time, put away everything you want to keep

take everything else to the charity shop

ivykaty44 · 22/07/2021 14:01

I apparently have to count myself lucky that my DH actually fills the dishwasher occasionally, or does the washing because I refuse to and he wants clean clothes for himself

who says you should count yourself lucky? tell them to get real

BewareOfTheAgapanthus · 23/07/2021 08:11

There are a lot of good ideas here. I hope you found them useful, @HotChocolateAndMarshmellows.
I did.

Viviennemary · 23/07/2021 11:33

Im not naturally neat. Ive got rid of quite a lot of stuff which helps. But still a long way to go. I also started the organised mum system which I don't keep to very strictly especially not when its been so hot. So I look round say if fifteen things need picking up in a room I do five. Then in a bit another five. Not great but better than ignoring them till it gets too much. And definitely have a few routines. After evening meal tidy kitchen. Will read this thread again for more ideas. Most neat people do things right away. And most messy folk don't.

Original poster

HotChocolateAndMarshmellows · 25/07/2021 22:14

Sorry, didn't mean to abandon this thread - have been ill the last couple of days with a nasty cold. Some very helpful tips on here, especially the one where you pick up 5-15 items after you leave a room and put them in their place.

Thank you!

OP posts:

Twillow · 27/07/2021 22:23

@HotChocolateAndMarshmellows

Sorry, didn't mean to abandon this thread - have been ill the last couple of days with a nasty cold. Some very helpful tips on here, especially the one where you pick up 5-15 items after you leave a room and put them in their place.

Thank you!

Different things work for different people of course - but personally I don't agree with this particular tip: do you want to always be picking up, or looking out for 15 messy things every time you leave a room? If you have proper systems and places for everything then you don't need to do things like that. Not to say you can't ever make a mess, just that it's easy to clean up if you get stuff organised properly to begin with.