Tell me about your pre vacation clean?

[StrezzedOut]

We’re going on holiday in half term. The thought of all the preparation I’ll need to do is starting to stress me out.

DH will pack for everyone. It’s the pre vacation clean I just don’t want to do. MIL is coming to feed our cat and as lovely as she is, I hate having people in my home. I feel judged and it is definitely not a show home.

I struggle to keep on top of things because I’m disabled with a disabled child also.

I’ve started a list. What can I take off it?

Change all bedding (day before we leave)

Tidy bedrooms

Mop all floors

Vacuum whole house

Clean bathrooms

Re grout the bathroom (touch up pen)

Do all laundry so the basket is empty (near impossible)

Wash duvets (coverless)

Dust

Clean out all kitchen cupboards

Clean all skirting boards

Clean out the pantry

Empty bins and take to the recycling centre

Sort DC closet and our closet

Have I missed anything? I want to say forget it and embrace the mess but my anxiety will not allow it .

Why on earth are you doing most of that? Clean the kitchen. Hoover. Dust if you must. She isn’t sleeping in the beds so no need to change. Regrouting? WTAF? Sorting cupboards/closets of any sort? Why?

It will just be dusty before you return. This is insanity! Surely your MIL isn’t going to be going through your cupboards.

@cardibach I don’t know. I know it’s silly but just the thought of MIL seeing the imperfections in our home (there are a lot!) makes me wince.

My what now?
Empty bins, make beds, leave for holiday. That's it.

I agree with @BreakfastAtMimis. Bins and fridge emptied, bleach down the toilets if you get a change. Run around with a large container to shove all it all in a larger container.

None of her business. I’m really with @BreakfastAtMimis on the level of cleaning, but I pay a cat sitter to come in twice a day and I don’t want her to judge me a bad cat mum so I hoover downstairs and clean the kitchen.

Does it not cross anyone’s minds that if you should be in an unfortunate situation and don’t return home that relatives will have to clear out your home? 😆

What will they think if they see your hidden mess? Or is this just my thought process?

Why set yourself such a mammoth task? I'm sure your MIL is not in the least bit interested in digging through your cupboards and checking the bathrooms for black mould. She'll be nipping in and out.

Why would you care? You’ll be dead…

Exactly ^

It sounds like anxiety talking, OP. Make sure your house is tidy and the bins are empty. All the skirting board and cleaning out cupboards stuff is irrelevant. Your MIL really isn't going to judge you by the state of your house (unless she's an absolute horror, in which case you could redecorate and redo the patio and she still wouldn't be happy).

Do what makes you happy to know you will come home to. Don't bother with stuff like grout touch up and cleaning out cupboards that nobody but you will ever look in. Try to relax and enjoy your holiday.

I grew up in a show home and I think this is why. My own DM would roll in her grave at our home. It’s not awful, but it’s certainly lived in.

If I thought I was going to die on holiday, I wouldn't go on it!

If I thought I'd only got 2 weeks left to live I wouldn't waste a minute of it cleaning

Clean kitchen, clean bathroom, hoover, change the bed your MIL is sleeping in. Don’t bother with the rest.

I do make sure I'm up to date on laundry and do change the sheets and wash towels the week before going but beyond that it's whip round with the vacuum cleaner and make sure there's bread in the freezer, cheese and milk that will be in date

Normally, none of the above. Chuck stuff in cases, grab passports and enjoy the trip. We usually get a friends teen son to mind the cats and chickens daily and he just pops in twice a day.

If MIL is sleeping there, I’d change the sheets on the bed she’s sleeping in and switch the dishwasher on, that’s probably it.

I absolutely hate housework and do the bare minimum at all times so I wouldn’t waste precious time fretting about what someone else might think about the state of my home.

If you’re that wound up about it, maybe book a cattery next time and spend some savings getting therapy for your anxiety. I’m serious, don’t waste your life worrying about the pointless opinions of others. They don’t matter a jot.

OP I also do a pre holiday clean. Not to the extent of regrouting mind, but I do all the floors, dust everywhere, bins emptied, generally tidied etc. I don't have anyone in when I'm gone, but I like coming home to a clean house so all I have to do is the washing and unpack clean clothes/toiletries etc.

My thoughts below:

Take off list:
Change all bedding (day before we leave)
Tidy bedrooms
Mop all floors
Clean bathrooms
Re grout the bathroom (touch up pen)
Wash duvets (coverless)
Dust
Clean out all kitchen cupboards
Clean all skirting boards
Clean out the pantry
Sort DC closet and our closet

Leave on list:
Vacuum whole house (just because it is nice to come home to a clean-ish house!)
Do all laundry so the basket is empty (amend to just enough so you have clothes to wear when you return)
Empty bins and take to the recycling centre

You really don't need to be doing your full list before you go away - I guarantee your MIL won't notice either way, and you're just putting extra pressure on yourself!

Hope you have a wonderful time away.

On the day, I empty bins, wash up, wipe around. In the few days prior i try to do as much laundry as I can so it's not all to do when we get back. That's it. MIL can sniff my sheets if she wants. I don't care.

I understand washing up to date , hoover, empty bins, make sure dishwasher on, bleach in loo, but most of that is so I don't come back to lots to do. But only do what you can comfortably do,

Nope, don't do a pre vacation clean 😂
I usually change the sheets, kitchen clean and general tidy up. But I'm not fussed if I don't have time.
Leave it, if MIL is so upset by it she may do it herself whilst your away. Win. Win.

I tidy up, hoover round, make the bed and put bleach down the toilet and plugholes .Job done

Oh, for heaven's sake, you're making yourself an impossible task there.

Concentrate upon

1. Fresh beds to come back to on that first night home.
2. No stinky socks in the linen basket/stuff going mouldy in the washing machine.
3. Clean toilet and fresh roll on the holder.
4. Vacuum everywhere, empty the cleaner.
5. No washing up festering in the sink.
6. Teabags and a new sealed pint of milk in the fridge/anything that would go putrid (cucumber, opened ham, bags of salad) in the bin.
7. Empty & clean kitchen bin with a fresh bin bag in it.

That's quite enough to be dealing with - fuck drawing over grouting.

I'm with you @StrezzedOut

I know it's ridiculous and I should embrace a quick tidy and empty bins but I have a list like the you. It stresses me out and makes me dread the run up to holidays. I just can't seem to help myself.

And @StrezzedOut my mind does the same as you and thinks if something happens to me and relatives / friends have to go into my house I want it to be clean and tidy.

That hasn't helped resolve your issue but at least you know you're not alone!!