My house doesn’t look like a showroom and I feel like the “odd one out”. What does your house look like?

[NewForestMum123]

I’m a mum to three children (aged five and under) and work part time 3 days a week. I’m noticing a lot of my peers like to keep their houses looking almost showroom level clean. (Although I will say there are a handful that I suspect have just cleaned up because they know I’m coming over.)

My house is not a showroom.

It’s clean… ish. Kitchen is always kept clean, toilets are regularly cleaned, and I hoover and mop a lot. But I don’t dust very often, my windows and glass doors are pretty gross with fingerprints.

And it is messy. There’s always laundry drying, there’s a junk model masterpiece on the dining room table, there’s a few toys with broken parts on the kitchen side, the hallway table has a pile of paper in desperate need of filing, there’s scuffs on the walls. Theres a table in the corner of the lounge with a pile of stuff which I honestly don’t even know what it is… from here I can identify a bauble that got waylaid and a hairbrush.

There are five people living in my house, including three children, and I think that’s exactly what it looks like. For the most part, I don’t really care. I seem to be forever doing jobs as it is! I’m shattered, generally.

But I’m curious what others opinions are of messy houses. Do you also keep a messy house and can reassure me I’m not the odd one out? And for those who keep “showroom” houses, how badly are you judging me?

I live alone & don't like my house much or have people to visit.
The whole place is somewhat grubby. I can go a week without washing dishes.

About very clean houses. I could never invite back, I probably don't have much in common with the residents, we won't end up very friendly.

I used to be like this! Always thought because I'm a single mum and don't work that my house should at least be spotless constantly, it got very draining! I was exhausted constantly it didn't do me any good if honest. I was never able to go to bed unless I washed up, dried up, washed the sides down, hoovered, mopped and the washing was put away and the bathroom was spotless, I felt I had to wake up to a clean home I also couldn't sleep if I knew there was stuff needing to be done, I think I had a bit of OCD if honest. Now I've taken a more relaxed approach and do it as much because end of the day I have 4 children, my home will be messy and lived in as such and I've gotten used to that face. I was cleaning though 3-4 a day just to keep up with it all but I found it was extremely exhausting in the end and it was taking its toll on me. 🤦🏼‍♀️

i echo this, I feel much more in order and calmer when my house is clean and tidy, I also have a once a week cleaner so Sunday evening is tidy time so she can clean on Monday. However I have a child and a toddler, 2 dogs and an husband that is completely ignorant to whatever state the place is in, and there are days when there’s toys everywhere and it does my head in but I have to take a deep breath. So some days you could walk in my house and think show home, other days, nah 😂

The thing that does bother me is when people call in unexpectedly and I’m in old pjs or tracksuit, with old worn t-shirt and no bra and messy hair.

I used to have an open house style welcome for friends and family when I was younger. People were welcome to just drop in. Now I want 24 hours notice at least. My adult kids excepted. Although even then, it’s a bit embarrassing for me when their partners arrive with them.

My daughter has a show home. She has four children all under the age of ten. They lead miserable lives as they are not allowed to touch or do anything. God help them if they spill anything. The house isn't inviting and totally sterile. I dislike going there.

Thank goodness for nannas house, where they can play, make a mess, and not be terrified if they spill something at drop a crumb.

Well it’s reassuring to read that most people who replied have a house similar to mine, and most of the people (maybe all!) who said they have “show home” houses say they don’t care what other people’s houses look like.

Both my husband and I have large local families, and some weekends we have an endless trail of unexpected visitors, so I’m now very used to family seeing my house (and myself!) in all manner of conditions. It has made it easier to not panic that it sometimes looks like a tornado has just been through the house; none of them have disowned me so far. Or taken me to one side and had a word!

But all it took on Friday was for me to visit a friend whose house didn’t have a single thing out of place for me to panic.

This weekend we finally tackled WBD “book in a box” and now there’s all manner of sequins and glitter and cotton wool and little bits of cardboard and paper everywhere. But I’m going to sit on my arse with a cup of tea when the kids are all finally asleep!!!

And @GenerousGardener it definitely sounds like it’s a good thing the kids have your house to relax in. My parents are divorced and when I was at one parents house I had to be showered and dressed before I even had breakfast of a morning, and the others house I could sit in my PJs on the sofa until late morning if I wanted to. As a teenager I’ll let you guess which house I ended up spending more time at!

My house is very small, but there is only my DP and I. We have no children.

It can look untidy easily, but we do try to keep on top of it all and minimise clutter. I clean the kitchen twice a day and the bathroom once a day. Then my partner mops downstairs weekly.

We do struggle with keeping the upstairs clean and tidy though. Putting our washing away, especially, is such a chore and in accumulates into a big pile in the office.

My house looks like a normal house. It's clean enough and fairly tidy, but definitely not immaculate. It's got books, puctures and random shit I've colllected all my life. It has bits that don't work or are in need of a coat of paint. Which is how I want it.
"'Showroom" houses are soulless and unwelcoming. People whose main priority is cleaning are most definitely not people I want to be around!

Like a shithole. We live next to a holiday let and the people in the holiday let walked into our house yesterday thinking they were at their holiday let (we were home hence door being open to the garden). That’s a whole other issue (they were a bit perplexed and annoyed to be told they had to get out of our house with all their suitcases 😂). But I have no idea what they must have thought they walked into, a holiday let that had been burgled?

The entire Tesco shop was piled on the table. The dog was going mad. And dc had built a pillow fort in the lounge so all the sofa cushions were in a pile in the middle of the floor. I suspect they must have been relieved to actually not be spending their holiday in this absolute shitshow.