Guests if house needs decorating

[Mrgrimes]

I’ve done some de cluttering and cleaning but the main issues are cracks in plaster and needing re painting. Problem is we are skint.
Everything seems to have get worse recently, and now I’m embarrassed to have visitors. Not sure what to do? Mostly new friends related to my kids’ school. Feel sad that my kids are missing out but not sure what to do. I don’t want other kids making comments either - especially now mine moving into teenage years.
Is anyone else like this - what do you do?

Watch YouTube videos and fix it yourself

My mum has a mantra. ‘They come to see me, not the house, and if they don’t like the house they don’t need to come’. Her house is up together, but she’s a bit untidy.
I grew up in a half finished house. My best friend’s family were millionaires. I was acutely aware of the differences…..we are still best friends.
if your kids don’t want to invite friends round, then you can’t force them. If all their friends houses are beautiful then they will be embarrassed. If it’s really only plaster cracks and redecorating then that really isn’t so hard to fix yourself and you often see free or reduced paint on fbmp or freecycle. Maybe set a goal of 1 room a month.

YouTube video tutorials are really good like a pp said.

Get on it now and you could at least have the lounge done before Xmas. I always aim to redecorate one room every year and it's important to address the small issues before they become large issues.

But don't worry to much about your decor - I'd be pleased to get an invite round someone's house and really wouldn't notice their decor.

I think having cracks etc is normal for most people isn’t it? As long as it’s clean and tidy ish I’d say you’re guest ready.

The OP says she is skint, so presumably the issue is not being able to afford the materials (paint, brushes, plaster etc) rather than not knowing how to do it?

My children were brought up in a house that's needed a lot of work which has been done gradually all their lives. It still isn't finished because we haven't had the money and we hate borrowing. So things get done when we can afford it.

This is not something either you or your children should feel remotely embarrassed about! Kids honestly won't notice unless they've been brought up by very shallow parents. Our children have and still do bring home a variety of visitors who always seem happy to come back.

Some of my dc friends live in immaculate million pound show homes and some live in flats above shops. The joys of a proper comprehensive school! But they are friends because of who they are, not where they live.

People have come to see you, not the house. But once you feel self-conscious about something it's hard to shake it off.

BUT if it makes you feel better, do some texter arrows at the cracks and label them 1, 2 and 3 or paint some test pot squares on the wall in different shades of meh as a work in progress.

On the one hand it's a bit of pretend, on the other you'll have to do it at some point anyway.

Don't worry about it!

it took us years to be able to afford to do works on our home and many people are in the same situation. The most important thing is that your guests feel welcome. our children friends enjoy coming over as they have fun with our children. we let them play and the tidying up is down before they leave.

the main thing is that your home is clean and tidy, so keep on top of the cleaning and decluttering.

agree with other posters about you tube/google for DIY. Many DIY jobs are pretty simple once you know what you are doing, you just need to learn what to do. i've fixed many things in my home this way.