To wonder what’s going on with all the sudden cleaning/organising/‘Hinching’ interest?

[Jeezypeepers]

Just that really. I’m in my mid 30’s and up until now most people I know keep a reasonable home; but don’t obsess over it, as far as I know. It’s never even really been something that’s come up in conversation; but now I can’t seem to go near social media without a barrage of posts about how to organise my cleaning!

Another thing about it is that I consider myself a (tentative, as in I lurk on the boards here but am a bit scared to post ) feminist; and I do worry a bit that this sudden cleaning obsession is most definitely aimed at women...I’m not sure what the implications of this are as such, I’m just musing I guess. But mostly I wonder if I’ve missed something, what’s with the new interest in cleaning all of a sudden? Or has it always been there amongst this age bracket and I’m only just noticing it now I’m in it?

I reckon it's just deflection from the shiftiness of BREXIT/Trump etc.

If we all make our houses gorgeous it'll all be ok.....

I'm almost 50 and have a messy but cleanish home. I have never obsessed over cleaning and have avoided all these crazy programmes in case they're trying to brainwash me into giving a shit.

It’s another thing to occupy women to keep them busy and away from thinking about the real issues.

And a load of boring baloney.

💰💰💰💰💰💰 is the reason. HTH.

It is getting a wee bit extreme. Ive been left reeling from zoflora fumes in an otherwise quite normal friends house recently.

Yes I feel uncomfortable about it too OP.. yay another thing to feel not good enough at and for other women to compare themselves on on social media. As well as clean eating, ‘strong not skinny’ fitness, cosmetic surgery/ beauty, interior design etc etc 🤮

I agree OP. I keep my house clean and tidy. Well I say ‘I’... DH and I do. I don’t obsess over it, or follow a ‘method, or really give it any headspace bar ‘better give the bathroom a clean’. All of a sudden there seems to be an influx of books/social media accounts etc dedicated to it. And yes, mainly aimed at women... ‘the organised mum method’ etc. It’s weird.

Zoflora is toxic to cats, I think. So there's no way that's crossing the threshold.

@sue51 Oh God the Zoflora!!! Again something I had never heard of until recently; and now it’s suddenly this year’s must have! And apparently shops are selling out of Pink Stuff and people are making actual fucking money selling it online, such is the current obsession with cleaning your oven. Mental

Okay okay I'm sorry.... I have to admit, I followed Mrs hinch on Instagram and watch her online stories and I have picked up a few tips along the way lol

Meh. It’s not one of the worst phases people have been through.

cocodash me too 🤫

YANBU op.

I just cannot see the appeal of watching someone clean and then obsessing over cleaning your own home. Booooooring.

It’s just a business for them now. All th posts are #ad or # gifted which is companies dishing out free stuff to these “ influencers “
So I agree it is a bit extreme

I hate they way people try to justify it as ‘helping mental health’ etc like it has a higher purpose. They were discussing it on women’s hour the other day and one of the cleaning influencers said ‘a clean space is a happy space’. VOM. It sounds like something you’d read in a 1950s advert for Pears soap or something. But then she also went on to the whole ‘I’m a bit OCD’ thing’ too. Normal people (and it’s aimed mostly at women) simply don’t have time to be obsessive about cleaning and tidying. Luckily I think it’s cinfined to social media, I know anyone IRL who gives a fuck about cleaning.

To be fair though, I have been a zoflora fan for many years. And I think people obsessed about it on MN long before Instagram! Maybe it’s an austerity thing? People can’t afford to do anything actually fun so they have to pretend that cleaning is a fun hobby?

I definitely feel lighter when the house is clean and tidy.

I managed it maybe twice in the last year.

Then the kids came home and I would feted why I bothered and realised running round with the vac every night and buying loads of products was just me deflecting from other stress.

My house is clean enough but rarely very tidy. But I'm good with that. I haven't got time to fold my knickers a certain way. Would rather spend that time relaxing or with the kids. Crumpled pants will have to do!

It’s a trend really and shows how we buy things differently now. It used to be from TV but online ‘Influencers’ have a lot of influence and earning power at the moment, originally fashion and make up influencers dominated the market and it showed a new way for retailers to push products. It was inevitable that this would spill into different types of products - be it travel companies, diet and fitness (lifestyle), and now cleaning. Companies are on the look out for how they can boost their profits and influencers are a solid way of doing so.

As for why Mrs Hinch specifically took off like she did, she has all the qualities of a successful influencer - the balance of being more accessible than celebrities, but still aspirational. She has a very friendly/cheery personality, speaks to viewers like friends, buys things that are not a million miles away from the average budget of her viewers. And cleaning is something everyone can do. But at the same time, she’s very conventionally pretty, she lives in a nice well decorated house, has a loving husband, a cute dog and a baby on the way. She is selling her lifestyle as much as her cleaning things.

She was the first to tap into this market and developed something of a niche. People want to live in nice clean houses, and she shows them how.

Allows an element of control in an increasingly out of control world.

I agree with you. It’s a backlash against feminism. Trying to get women to spend their free time cleaning and tidying. I love a tidy house but I have a messy DH and 3 DC so I look at these pics and think well I can either have that kitchen or my family but definitely not both unless I give up my life to it!!!

It’s not new though. Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners was on tv years ago

What EssentialHummus said. I can take or leave the cleaning, but I'm obsessive about tidiness and order, and I'm the opposite of a hoarder... But I've been like this since before the whole Kondo etc. phenomenon.

I feel better if everything is organised - not necessarily clean and tidy, but if I know where everything is I'm less frustrated and waste less time hunting around for things.

@Sparklesocks thank you; that’s a really good analysis. I’ve sort of missed the makeup/fashion trends sweeping YouTube and Instagram as my kids are still wee; but my nieces are MAD into it so I can understand how the advertising companies have clocked the ability of vloggers etc to influence

It's (a) a way of getting people to spend cash (b) a way to keep women in their place and (c) awful for the environment.

Over-scrubbing our houses is giving our kids allergies and has even been linked to childhood leukaemia. There is no conceivable reason to bleach our living areas to within an inch of their lives.