Does anyone's house look like a show-home?

[ThatFraggle]

If so, how do you do it?

No, but I wouldn't aspire to it either because it's not a show home is it, it's a lived in building with occupants and we all have other things going on in life that are more interesting than coming home every day cleaning and arranging items as if we wanted to photograph them. I enjoy that the home is for relaxing and feeling comfortable , it's for us to enjoy and be comfortable in, not to bend over backwards to get it into a state that other people would applaud it if they happened to see it or visited infrequently.

The house is usually tidy, could probably do with a lot more deep cleaning than it gets. We don't really like clutter so there isn't much of that and that helps things look uniform I suppose but I doubt anyone who comes over is in awe of anything happening in it - nor do they need to be!

I think social media home accounts have a lot to answer for..

This is a good point. I grew up in a house where everything had a place, and it's just second nature to me to do the same.

My home is in no way sterile, but everything is neatly arranged or put back in its place.

It could be, but it's not. Two disabled kids and three needy cats I don't have the energy.

I do however clean everyday so it's not dirty just need to get new furniture as it's all a bit shabby.

How often does he do a whole room? Does she live in a mansion?

Five bedrooms I think it is. It's a big house. And it's lovely, not cold and grey but colourful and sumptuous.

Last time I heard the decorator was re-wallpapering an en-suite.

No, but I can bring it up to scratch pretty quickly if needed.

I've found the key is storage and not hanging onto stuff.

It's much easier to keep things tidy if you have cupboards and drawers for them to go in. The actual cleaning is quite quick and easy then.

Those cupboards and drawers stay tidy and organised by not being crammed full of stuff because you keep on top of what you want (and recycle, sell, charity shop) the things you don't.

I'm pretty good at putting stuff away, not so good at getting rid of things (parent was a hoarder) but I make an effort and it makes my life easier when I do.

Same

My mothers house is - but I think she has undiagnosed OCD - if you eat at her house she will not join in; she will stand next to you with a cloth in case you drop a crumb (I am not exaggerating)
When I go in the kitchen she will show me the dirt (more crumbs) that my dad has left - there really are none.

Yes there are some needlessly nasty comments.

The one about 'constantly spraying poisons and pesticides around children' 😂 All it said was they use a spray bottle and cloth, who said it was 'poison', it might have been white vinegar based like ours is

I am in awe of those who keep their houses clean and tidy, with a place for everything. I would love to have to motivation and determination to be like that.

Mine does.. or will do for the next 6 days till adult dd returns from her travels! We have a cleaner twice a week and make don't make much mess.

Honestly @LSSG these threads drive me mad. Obviously there are people who clean obsessively, but I’m sure there are many out there like us who just get on with it. And I never use bleach. Don’t really like harsh chemicals and they aren’t needed if you keep on top of things.

I think I’m probably more relaxed when I sit down to watch tv after dinner knowing the dishwasher is loaded and the kitchen is clean, rather than if I left it until later.

And with the lovely weather this weekend, because my house is kept clean and organised during the week, yesterday we went out for an impromptu picnic. Took a minute to grab the picnic blanket and cold box because I know exactly where they are and I haven’t got any nagging feeling of needing to do something in the house. And today we’re having a bbq and I know we’ve got charcoal and everything else we need.

I’m sure I spend less time cleaning and organising than someone who lives in chaos and has to deep clean when things get bad and spends ages looking for things or buying replacements for lost things.

I’m naturally quite lazy. But I know being organised makes my life easier in the long run. And it really doesn’t take much effort once you put good systems in place. Far less effort that being disorganised.

Even my cutlery drawer is organised & clutter free- I even hoover it once a week. We've been known to go away a lot & relatives sometimes stay at ours. I want them to find things pristine/clean when they open drawer or cupboard

Not yet but I aim to be in a few years once we've finished our renovation. Although showhomes are a bit maximilist for me. Like a PP I do try to show the best bits on our reno instagram page.

Mine doesn't. I absolutely HATE cleaning. When I was working I used to pay for a cleaner which was wonderful but now I'm retired I can't justify it. But I still don't want to do it myself. I actually feel depressed if i wake up in the morning and think I have to do some cleaning that day.
I hoover through downstairs once a week and give the toilets and sinks a clean when they look dirty - the rest only gets done about once a month.
Fortunately, there are only 2 of us living here so it doesn't get too bad

Office and bathroom, yes – office because it’s mine and I don’t have stuff and I cull and declutter frequently; bathroom because I designed it so DP’s clutter has to be put away: no horizontal surface to attract his piles of stuff. I’m gradually tackling the rest of the house but it’s a fixer upper so even if a room is clutter-free the backdrop is woodchip and horrible carpet.

🤣🤣🤣

Exactly this, and because it’s all kept on top of, keeping the house clean takes no time at all.

I don’t watch TV, but I’m sure from some comments MN would prefer me to sit on my arse for a couple of hours watching telly than choosing to clean. It doesn’t matter to me how clean someone’s home is, as long as they’re happy and I would never judge anyone on the state of their home. My childhood home was dirty, I felt grubby and embarrassed if a friend wanted to come round and my children will never feel like that I promise.

I don’t “choose” cleaning above anything else - I’ve never really watched TV (except Happy Valley!) I still find plenty of time to have days out, my daughter and I play card games or draw every evening, my son and I do a lot of maths because he struggles, we are out and about every weekend. I’d like to not be judge for how I choose to spend my time, and the insinuation that it must take away from family time, or my house is cold and unwelcoming is so far off the mark it’s almost funny.

Agree completely @YoSof . These threads always go the same way.

I’d love to live with a show home look, not a real show home look though as that’s too bland and the things that make us happy would be stifled. Our home is a lot less tidy than I’d like it to be which makes cleaning and keeping on top of it take more time which is annoying.

I don’t think I would call my home a show home, but it’s definitely tidy and clean 99% of the time. I’m also a minimalist, and it definitely helps having less ‘stuff’ in order to whip through. I clean and straighten up each room daily - not a big house by any stretch. Four bedrooms, 1 bathroom, separate laundry and toilet, small kitchen, separate dining room, separate lounge room, separate study. A dishwasher and a robot vacuum make life so much easier. I make beds everyday, wash at least at load of laundry, all hung outside, wipe over shower, bath and basins. Clean toilet. Dishwasher 1-2 times a day. Robot vacuum probably 3 times a day. Mopping 1-2 times a week. We are a home of 4 adults, a long haired cat and a dog.