To say I like cleaning but loathe tidying ?

[zzzap]

So I actually like cleaning my bathroom, vacuuming, polishing my mirrors etc

What I hate is the actual getting the everyones crap out of the effing way first before I can get around to the actual cleaning part.
Before I vacuum I need to go around and pick up the discarded toys and bits of whatever the DCs have strewn around (not old enough to pick up after themselves), before I clean my bathroom there's always 17465638 empty bottles that should have been put in the flipping bin or products left out which should be been put back in the cupboard.
And don't get me started on the bloody pile of dishes that seems to magically grow even though I wash up 3 times a day! And the endless laundry to sort and put away

I often have friends telling me to get a cleaner as its so much easier - but for me the cleaner does the fun stuff which I don't mind whilst I still have to prepare and get all the crap stuff out of the way in preparation for their arrival! I actually don't mind scrubbing my sink or polishing my towel rail or wiping my skirting boards but the crap that has to be sorted/cleared out/picked up before hand is what I hate.

AIBU?!
I think I just needed a little rant! But am I weird? Or is the tidying the actual crap part of cleaning?

Yeah I know what you mean. I think you just have to train people you live with to put stuff away after them.
Don’t have a gazillion bottles of stuff in the bathroom.
Pare everything back to basics

Yanbu. I tidy stuff away all the time so it’s not one huge job. After every meal everything gets put away eg bread/salt and pepper/sauce and the pots are stacked, before going to bed I tidy anything lying around eg glasses/plates, books/magazines and just try and keep on top of stuff mounting up. I do have a cleaner though.

How old are the dc? What’s your H doing regarding tidying?

So don't tidy. Say to those you share tour house with I am prepared to clean provided you tidy up first!?

I get you.
Have you read the Marie Kondo books? Adopting her way of tidying works very well for having to tidy less.
I find that if everything has a clear and uncluttered place to live then tidying doesn’t take long. We have one toy/set of toys out at a time, washing up is done straight away by the person who made the mess and laundry put away as soon as it is ready.

Yup. Well, to be honest, I don't like cleaning that much either but it's a fairly quick job once all the stuff is out the way!

I don't really understand people who say their house is messy but clean either. How is it possible to clean at all without tidying first?

The only answer is to get everyone to make an effort to actually clean up after themselves.

It sounds like you need to perhaps declutter. I'm a bit of a minimalist myself. If you don't use something for 12 month or its of no sentimental value then pack it off for the charity shop. Kids don't need 100s of toys. They usually have a select few which they always go to. Under bed storage boxes are great for decluttering. And just keep to basics daily bottles in the bathroom. Keep everything else in the cupboard.

I do try, DS is 15 months and his current favourite is pulling stuff out of drawers all over the floor. DS 2 is 3 so helps tidy but not always great. We have cupboards with baskets in the bathroom to put stuff back in but it doesn't always happen.

Dishes and laundry seem to multiply by me just looking at them.

I have been making a more conscious effort to tidy as I go but sometimes when it's been a busy day and everyone rushes home, getting dinner ready/keeping DCs entertained and sorting the immediate things everything else goes to pot.

Oh yes OP I am you. That’s why I roll my eyes whenever anyone with young children complains that the house is getting on top of them and a cleaner is recommended. The cleaner is the easy bit!

I have Marie kondo’d a few areas- it takes a fair amount of time to set up but is brilliant and makes you feel much clearer and relaxed. But with young children and toys it’s always an uphill battle of moving things from one place to another and back again!

Nope. I’m the same. I hate hate hate tidying (but looking at mess makes me feel itchy?!) but I love the actual cleaning part. Apart from hoovering (but we now have a Roomba ). I find it quite therapeutic to e.g. scrub the stove until it’s all clean. And cleaning taps until they’re perfectly shiny is particularly satisfying!

And honestly I don’t mean to sound like a wanker but if you don’t have a dishwasher you’re at a disadvantage straight away. The washing up must be constant

I’m the opposite. Don’t mind tidying, in fact love bringing order to chaos. Hate cleaning with a passion - would much prefer to do the ironing.

Yes i dont mind cleaning, like what a cleaner does, but oh the time to tidy up..
im the opposite of a hoarder and i think dh and kids are exacerbating it.
My dream holiday will be everyone to go on holiday and leave me home with a free skip to throw out/give away everything. I dont want no books or kids shoes or artwork or toys in sight nor in cupboards.

Id like a minimalist house, just concrete walls and floors, a mattress and bicycle each and built in kitchen appliances.

YANBU I've done TOMM and Kon Maire with a daily schedule and nicely folded pants and let everybody's socks have a rest () but you have to have everyone on board with it and its hard when DC are little. And infuriating when your DP upturns orderly laundry in the search for a pair of pants and walks away from it.

It's hard when they are little are really can't do it.

You didn't mention a DP? Definitely really important to get them on board if you have one. If kids see only Mummy tidying they will definitely start thinking it's 'your' job.

My kids are older and I think I kept tidying for them for too long because it was easier and I just wanted to get them in bed etc. Hard habit to break and try and build tidying into their routines now.

They're not terrible to be fair, but it is a big bugbear of mine at the moment because I really dislike living in mess/dirt during the week until we have time to do a big tidy and clean. Much easier if it's reasonably tidy all week and can keep on top of the cleaning.

At least you're half happy then, I loathe tidying AND cleaning....I should be hoovering right now instead of mumsnetting!

See I find it so satisfying running a vacuum on a dirty floor and hear all the little bits/crumbs go up the pipe (weird I know) . What I don't find satisfying is when the vacuum all of a sudden chokes on a stray sock which has been stuffed under the sofa by one of the DC's just far in that I didn't see I during the pre vac mine sweep.

I agree with the dishwasher bit but it's not something we can afford at the moment and even if we could our tiny kitchen has no room for one.

DP works very long hours and does pick up after himself. But he's not great with the other couple of things that are his jobs IMO it's because it's not under his nose 🤔

@sadkoala I find the vacuum sound so satisfying too

Part of the reason I married DH is because he's a good tidier (I am not!) and I'm a good cleaner (he is not!)
So no, YANBU. I detest tidying, and get the DC or DH to do it. I will accept a sub standard clean from DH (and he will accept a sub standard tidy from me) but generally we work to our strengths!

And YES to the vacuum slurps!

YANBU - I bloody hate tidying but will happily hoover/mop/dust etc.

When DH was young, they apparently had a cleaner and his mother used to get into a right tizz tidying up before the cleaner came!

Want to swap? I clean pretty well but much prefer tidying. Untidy houses set off all my spidey senses!

@TomHagen let's make a deal! You tidy your house and prep it and we can swap I can pop round to yours and clean whilst you go to mine and tidy so I can clean it after. We can make it a weekly thing with coffee and cake! 🍰

@sadkoala deal- esp for cake!