To think most houses aren't 'visitor ready'?

[Pandrawerschangedmylife]

Got friends coming to stay this weekend. MIL just phoned to speak to DH, I explained he'd taken the kids out so that I can get the house sorted (change bedding, put the hoover round, clean the bathroom etc...) She sounded very surprised and made a comment along the lines of the house being pretty untidy if I need a few hours to clean it, as she just cleans hers as she goes (of course she does, there's only two of them living in the house!)

AIBU to think that most houses aren't tidy enough for overnight guests? There always seems to be things to sort and put away. Or am I actually living in squalor without knowing it?

I have no sleeping over space, but no, my house is never visitor ready. I work full time, I'm spoon less when I come home, and frankly hate housework

Our house is always clean but It's our home. It is never perfect and there is always something out of place or a cushion not plumped. Guest rooms are always visitor ready. If visitors Don't like it they Don't have to come but they are always welcome.

My MIL also says this: 'it's much easier if you always keep the house tidy, rather than doing one big clean at the weekend!'. She hasn't worked since DH (her only child) was born well over three decades ago and I think has absolutely no recollection any more of what it's like to work full time - she never actually did what I did (long hours, long commute) in the first place.

My house is always a state and visitors don't seem to mind. Or have more important things to worry about and comment on.

More to the point, your MIL was trying to play Competitive Domestic Martyr. Don't rise to it.

Ours isn't. But tbh I wouldn't stress about it nowadays. They can take us as we are. Am sure it'll swing the other way once the children are more independent.

I try to keep one room clean, tidy and presentable for surprise visitors. Also have the luxury of a small spare bedroom into which I can fling all school bags, piles of laundry, boxes of stuff, and just shut the door on it.

Most imoritant thing is that the wash basins toilets are clean and quick hoover round.

To others mine might be ready but to me it isn't.

Anyway.... It's nothing to do with your MIL so she should keep comments about how your keep your house to herself.

mine is most of the time because I can't relax until it's tidy - and doubly so at the moment as it's on the market

but it's not unexpected visitor ready all the time - it's usually 'need half an hours notice' ready

Surely no one in their right mind is visitor ready for overnight guests unless they are running a B and B

Bwahahahaha 😂

I have a cleaner who does the beds and all the rooms are clean, nothing is dusty or in need of a hoover. I also have visitors regularly, so last sat night and also last night for example, all just friends. I also always tidy as I go. So yes, it’s always visitor ready.

Kitchen and living room are always fine but I'd need about 20 mins to get anything else sorted for visitors. E.g. taking clothes upstairs, quick going over of bathrooms, kids rooms checked etc.

Definitely not. I've been known to have to take annual leave to clean before scheduled visitors, never mind unexpected ones

God no. And that's even with friends who wouldn't mind.

If theres only 2 people, and one lives in his garden shed, and theres no pets or kids, and they never do anything indoors, and they arent allowed to eat except over the sink, and the whole place is covered in plastic then I expect it looks like a showroom all the time.

the rest of us have a curry rug and a cupboard of shame.

At Chez Pancakeflipper it's decent enough for anyone to come over and have a meal or a cuppa and cake.
But staying over would mean me sorting out bedding etc.. That's normal isn't ??

I think it was on Mumsnet that I first heard about CHAOS, which stands for Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome (because of the mess). I definitely have that (three primary-aged DC) & I think it's very common in families with young children. You are not alone!

Never visitor ready, even when they’re about to arrive. Unless I’ve had a lot of time to prepare, which is in short supply at the moment!

4yr old and 4mo old would take 5 minutes to be visitor ready (if that) as DP likes to keep it that way
(He's the one who cleans it mostly)

Never taken more than 2 hours to clean my house top to bottom

Well there would be a friendly welcome and a pot of tea but you would have to take us as you found us. If you are looking to visit a show home, the new housing development is that way -)

To be fair I think it also depends on the size of your house, your lifestyle (ie lots of hobbies etc), if you work from home or run a business which requires use of the house for storage, etc, pets, number of kids etc!

Why do children's rooms have to be checked? If a guest entered my dc's or our bedroom I'd regard that as overstepping boundaries.

IMO there is a cleanish house and then there is a visitor ready house!

Our house is neat ish but there is still a lot of stuff I would need to do if I was having people come to stay! YANBU OP

Mine isn't. LP and two dc's, one destructive.

Although after having three weeks off sick post op it nearly is visitor ready. I've had time to tidy and de-clutter properly for the first time in eight years.

My house is tidy but I'd still want to freshen up the room for overnight guests.

Well there would be a friendly welcome and a pot of tea but you would have to take us as you found us. If you are looking to visit a show home, the new housing development is that way -)

EXACTLY.

2 adults here, both work long hours so not much chance to make a mess, I reckon it would take me about half hour to make sure bathroom is spotless, hoover bedrooms (spare bedroom always has clean sheets), check living room for dust etc.
Ah but did I mention huge beast DDog? Thanks to whom kitchen is usually a hellish den of mud, hair, toys, bits of wood and the like (he comes in from the garden and gets cleaned etc in the kitchen, quite a big room). Add another 2 hours for that and I'd be able to open the door to a visitor without cringing.
Your MIL needs to lose the judgy pants OP.