To think that I can't be the only person who lives in a messy/sometimes dirty house and cleans before anyone comes round.

[Bumpandkind]

This morning I wake to... last nights supper on the table, bomb site kitchen, evidence of baby led weaning on the floor, bin juice stains in the porch, last Saturdays paper all over the sofa (family section partially eaten by baby and stuck to floor). I could go on. My brothers family are coming over for lunch so my husband and I will blitz this over the morning and the outside world will never know. I would never be truthful about this in real life so just curious if there are any other closet statterns out there?

Nooo, I can't go to bed if the flat is a mess. DP and I have a quick five minute tidy round before bed - put dishes in the sink to soak, straighten cushions, put things back in their place, tidy up shoes etc.

We don't have much storage though, so if stuff is left out, it just looks really messy and untidy and I HATE it!

This is why I hate uninvited guests and guests that snoop instead of sitting in one room.

If there are any snoopers on the thread can I ask you: why do you do it? What makes you want to go from room to room without asking? Tell me, because almost every new person that comes to my house does it, mostly Dd's friends mothers. I hate it.

My last flat was impossible - one bed so I slept in the lounge. Constantly messy due to too much "stuff" everywhere nowhere to store it properly, was never dirty however. Open shelving in the kitchen is a bad idea. Got ruthless about the clutter in order to sell up last year. Hard floors downstairs made cleaning a doddle.

Now in small rental with half our belongings in storage. Have realised that the minimalists have a point and that you can't clear clutter. Takes 10 mins now to whip the hoover round, wipe loo and kitchen counters, and check skirting boards if someone rings and says they are on their way. However I HATE carpet in the living areas as I don't think it's the most hygienic option with pets and kids. Having a bedroom of my own has taken away all the panic about unexpected knocks at the door!

Lessons have been learned!

New house budget included a column for expedit storage!
House selected has space for a dishwasher, and a kitchen with lots of closed cupboard storage.
The living room & bathroom carpets will be replaced in favour of hard flooring as soon as I can manage it.

I'l never be the perfect housewife, but some homes are far easier to keep visitor ready than others, and that's a fact!

I have friends who never cook/bake with their kids because they can'gt stand the mess it makes - where's the fun in that? It's a balance and I'm happy to host home made pizza night. The mess can always be cleared up after the guests have gone home. Not only DS but some of his friends go to be with a lovely childhood memory to put in their memory bank so it's worth the mess.

Nope. Clean/neat freak here. But I found it really hard to keep up when I had babies/toddlers.

My DDs see the Hoover and ask "Who's coming"

My living room is okayish, but the kitchen looks like a bad day at Ypres.

The mud, dog hair, piles of paperwork, pots, homework stuff, crumbs...just endless stuff depresses the fuck out of me.

I or dp clean it every day, and it's back to the same shitty state within hours.

I don't know how people do it.

I'm a bit like this too. Sometimes my house is great....really tidy for weeks on end, and I love it. Then it'll fall apart a bit...and slowly disintegrate, whereby I will need the threat of imminent visitors to stir me back into action.

Atm I'm about 50/50 - could be better, but it's not the worst. I've got a new steam cleaner and I'm about to do the bathroom.

I very rarely let people in when it's a mess. If ever.

I broke my collarbone a few years ago and was in a sling so I couldn't push the hoover round.

I don't wear shoes in my flat so carpets don't get too dirty but I have long hair which sheds everywhere.

My friend pointed out I may be a bit TOO tidy when she popped round to find me shuffling around on the floor with sellotape on my one good hand picking up the hair!.

When I bought my first (tiny) house I was so house proud.

I used to come home from work on a Wednesday and clean every room - sofas pulled out, top of kitchen cupboards, bed pulled out - everything.

Lasted till dp moved in...

I have been to people's homes that are like show houses, even with young DC. How do they manage it?

My house is tidy and clean.

I don't leave dirty dishes, clothes, rubbish, crap hanging around. even if I'm exhausted I at least wash the dishes and take the bin out.

I could not wake up to that in the morning or come home from work to that.

We finished dinner about 20 minutes ago. The dining table is still full of dishes and they'll probably be there in the morning

I have guests coming at 8.

A dinner party

I have spent two hours cleaning and tidying. Helping the DC with their home work. Preparing all the food. Giving the DC their tea, feeding and brushing the dog ( she is moulting, dog hair everywhere!). DH has been out playing tennis and is now doing the crossword.

FIL popped iver unanounced, leaving bits of paper, shoes, tissues and fags everywhere ( it's ok as we all love him)

When they get here I'll be all relaxed and calm.

But I KNOW that at 7:50 I will feel a fierce hatred of my DH, FIL and the guests!

But that won't last.

And the house is tidy and DH will do all the washing up!

And one of my friends who is coming always says something bad. I love her but she will say:

"Blimey it is tidy! You must have spent ages tidying up!"

Or

" I wish I was like you and could be all relaxed and just ignore the dust"

And

" you are brave to not bother with proper napkins and table cloth. I wish I could do that. But I always need things done properly, so silly of me."

Place your bets now! I am putting money on No1 and 3 myself

DameDiazepam - it's just as important for your mental health to be relaxed and if having an untidy house does not stress a person then that is fine with me! (But then my house is shockingly messy!)

I live in a messy/sometimes dirty house, and don't bother cleaning before people come round half the time.

As I get older I get less inclined to spend time on the futility of cleaning.

Piles of books, toys, letters, playstation games, dvds, hair accessories, lego, yarn, and craft work all over the dining table and armchair here. Plus a mug from my cuppa earlier. And some sweet wrappers. And the peel from a clementine.

I wish I had more of a natural urge to tidy.
My home growing up was messy and filthy. I'm the same. :(

Can't be arsed to get worked up over cleaning tbh. It gets cleaned when it needs cleaning, not fussed about a few pots in the sink. Rather do anything else but clean - it is a chore after all. My mum is ocd about cleaning and my childhood was a nightmare - don't make a mess all the time. Not for my kids - it is our shared space not a show home.

I often leave plates in the sink from tea the night before. But generally I am quite clean. Do you think its a clas thing? My mum always says the working class are far cleaner than the middle classes as they feel they have something to prove? (She has come from a working class background)

I have noticed this. At uni my mate was literally a millionaire and her room was an absolute pigsty and she barely showered. Lots of middle class people seem to care less about cleaning- perhaps they feel they dont have to.

I am not disrespecting any class here- it's merely an observation.

Our house is never dirty as we have a cleaner but it is always looking "lived in" apart from the 10mins between us finishing tidying & visitors arriving. The thing which totally baffles me now I have a 22mo & 4yo is how to go out leaving the house tidy. My rule is that beds have to be made & breakfast stuff cleared away but the DC will play whilst I'm doing that (they can & do help a bit but can't do everything) and I love the 15 mins I get to have a cuppa while they play in the playroom & the other 15mins I get to do hair & makeup whilst they play upstairs but they do leave a trail of destruction, esp as DC2 is in an emptying phase.
Obviously I project a tidy house image as it was only a couple of NCT friends had dropped in (on separate occasions) with little or no notice & saw what it was like that I was invited to their houses.

Op, that sounds such a depressing sight to wake up with!
Blw here, and also a toddler. And my house, not immaculate, is always in a state where I would never feel uncomfortable having people.
It's hard work, but totally worth it.

Message for the posters who didn't/wouldn't invite friends over when they were kids because of the mess: my dad was such a tidy freak that he wouldn't let us have friends round. I had to go round their houses which was nice though because they had nice homes that had, shock horror, things out and about like books and magazines and I felt relaxed.

I, however, take it to extreme although my friend always says 'you're clean under the mess'

Our house is normally a tip unless we have visitors. DH can't stand dishes left overnight though so I have now got into the habit of clearing the kitchen before bedtime.
I am guilty though of tidying up before visitors come and then apologising for the mess. I always think I haven't done quite enough cleaning and think this gives the impression that my house is always tidy rather than hastily cleaned. Bad habit but I can't help it.