I fantasise about running away.

[ColinRobinsonsfamiliar]

And living in a tiny cottage where I go to a job I enjoy each day and come home and my tiny cottage is just as I left it, clean, neat, tidy, comfy and full of my things that love in the colours that I like.
Where I don’t have to make decisions about what everyone is having for tea, and the pile of laundry that needs doing and cleaning the kitchen after people and not tripping up over the pile of shoes at the back door when I bring in the washing that I swear, I put into the shoe box an hour ago.
may grass in my garden is green and lush and not bald and hammered from football, my plant pots are upright, not knocked over or smashed by a football.
Where I can invite people for lunch and they will have somewhere to sit and I won’t have to spend 2 days cleaning before anyone can come round and even then, within an hour it’s a shit hole again where people follow me making a mess.

I only fantasise about this every now and again. Today is one of those days.

Mostly, I just crack on. Today I’m having a bad day. I’m going to go for a walk.

Ladder of years by Anne Tyler is a bit like your fantasy. Ever since I read it I had the same feeling occasionally.
Sorry it's one of those days.

I think every mother has this fantasy or some version of it.

Is there any way you could go away on your own for a week or even a couple of days?

Sounds like you really need it.

I am feeling exactly like this at the moment.

I think it’s just burnout from constantly giving a shit about everyone else.

Yep can relate to this and could have written much of your post. I'm peri-menopausal with young dc (and now throw in the school summer holidays).

Where I can invite people for lunch and they will have somewhere to sit and I won’t have to spend 2 days cleaning before anyone can come round and even then, within an hour it’s a shit hole again where people follow me making a mess.

Can particularly identify with this.

The sun is out, it’s warm. The seagulls are above and the sky is blue.
I can hear my neighbour mowing the lawn and I’m sitting here in peace.
But to just disappear fills my head. It just fills my head right up today.
Tomorrow will be better I’m sure.

Per meno here too.
A house full of males.
A houseful of mess.
You know when you just don’t know where to begin?

@ColinRobinsonsfamiliar me too - I feel like the hired help, but with no pay! Can I share cottage, I would make no mess and clear up after myself.

Start your secret running away fund, you may never need it but it’s a growing comfort to know it’s s there.

Sometimes I indulge this fantasy and search for cottages for sale and get the absolute rage at the number of perfectly wonderful 2 room shacks that have been extended every which way and now have 5 bedrooms and a modern art collection.

I have a secret running away fund.
I often look at cottages for sale at the other end of the country.
Next year will be better.

So I'm on my way to this exact dream. Split with my crappy husband last year, so when the children leave home I can buy the cottage and live the dream. I have a rightmove search set up so I can keep am eye out for the perfect place!

Yup the same @ColinRobinsonsfamiliar

Especially the thinking of what people will be eating for tea. Sometimes I have to scream in to a tea towel - I’m sure the other residents of my home truly believe we have a chef in the kitchen drawer that only I can communicate with and that’s the only means of getting food in our bellies every night 🙄

Oh, I hear you op x

After years in an unhappy relationship and months of staying with family I'll be moving into my little 'cottage' (well a 2 bed semi to be fair) in a small village down south, miles away from my old life, I'm nervous but this is outweighed by the prospect of a new life.

www.onthemarket.com/details/12126191/

This will do me

When I was young I had a fantasy of getting out of my family home to this very tiny cottage on a road nearby. I still sometimes fantasise about that cottage.

I think it is completely understandable when life is a bit overhelming to fantasise about escaping it.

Is there any way you can do anything nice for yourself within your own home?

My mum owns a narrowboat. I fantasise about living on it with just me and minimal possessions. It's not far so I do occasionally go and spend the night on it, and it's fine for one night but then I miss the bustle a bit...

Oh God, me too. Rightmove & everything. Have read Ladder of Years

I hear you!

I live with SH and 2 teen boys and 2 large dogs, and I love them all. but the mess and dirt!

but I often fantasise about being on holiday alone

somewhere else where I don’t have to look after anyone

the holiday can be in Wales or Greece or Spain, in the country or a city. A little apartment or house, whatever, just for me

I hear you OP.

Sometimes I think a stint in prison would give me a lovely break from thinking up meals and worrying about paying bills.

I used to fantasise about having to be in hospital for a while, prison would also work!

I've just left a 22 year marriage for this. I couldn't do it any more. I want so much more from my life in the time I have left. Separation is not failure. Living together in such unhappiness is. I think it's a very natural feeling.

Honestly it doesn't have to be this way. I have 2 dds age 11 and 13 and my house (apart from their rooms) is spotless, we just tidy as we go, do and I both clean and tidy.

We work full time and have 2 dogs and a cat, the messiest resident is the bloody cat. Just get a system and stick to it. Declutter on a daily basis, buy less