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AIBU?

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Original poster

Wheelie Bin Princesses

544 replies

reallifegetsintheway2 · 03/09/2021 16:07

In my naice middle class area, there are multiple able bodied wheelie bin princesses who think that putting out the bins is a 'blue' job i.e. male (obviously if in male / female relationship). Worst still is those princesses who either walk past them when they return home in the car or with the pram / kids from school and wait for their (male) partner to bring them in. I admit they annoy me more. For reference, I do both, as does DH, and I am female.
Yabnu - it is a gender neutral job
Yabu - get a life, reallife

OP posts:
MyPatronusIsACat · 03/09/2021 19:50

@Doris86

Are people really saying that they would return home, walk straight past the empty bins in the road and not put them away, because it is their other half’s chore?
Exactly this.

I put the bins out most of the time, AND bring them back in. I also empty the kitchen bin into the wheelie bin most of the time, and I put a new jar of coffee, or hot chocolate on the worktop by the kettle, if the old one is nearly empty. DH does it sometimes too, but I do it a bit more often. Big deal

I don't give a shit. I don't keep count.

I do some household chores, DH does some. Neither of us keeps score, because we're not nobs. I do most of the gardening as I love it, I do all the household admin because I enjoy it, and DH puts the dirty clothes in the washing machine, and then hangs them on the line, and does the ironing sometimes. Then again I do the washing and ironing sometimes. We do what needs doing, when it needs doing, if/when the the other hasn't doesn't done it.

I do the food shopping, he does the car maintenance, he builds shelves (and similar jobs,) I do most of the washing up and cooking. Occasionally HE does the washing up and cooking. We both feed the cat, we both get loo rolls/kitchen rolls out when they run out...etc... Not sure how often exactly, because as I said, we don't keep score.

But yep, I generally put the bins out. I don't care. But that's blown the silly generalisation from @reallifegetsintheway2 about 'wheelie bin princesses' out of the water.

Stressybetty · 03/09/2021 19:51

I always do our bins and sort and fill the recycling tubs too. DH will bring in the empty ones if he sees them. He can never remember what day they are collected and what bin to put out which week.

2andahalfpints · 03/09/2021 19:52

I'm a princess too, I do normally bring it back when I come back from dog walk though
Its always my husband or older teens who empty bins and put the wheelie out though, they can't get it wrong so one I don't redo.

ejhhhhh · 03/09/2021 19:54

Surely, if there's one thing you've learned from MN, it's that some men don't exactly pull their weight. Much as we'd all like to believe everyone is in perfectly equal harmonious relationships where each partner does an appropriate amount of household chores, regardless of gender, and taking into consideration their work/family/mental load responsibilities, we all know that's not the case and most domestic duties do still fall to women. So if some women leave their DPs to do the bins, it could just be because that's how they've decided to split the household chores, or it could be that they're left to do all the laundry/school admin/whatever. Just let them crack on without getting all judgy. They do not need nosey neighbours like you along with all their other life crap.

Zippy1510 · 03/09/2021 19:54

Clearly a princess here too. My hands are usually too full when returning home with our baby in a pram, toddler and their accompanying scooter to also try and include a bin into that mix.

EvenRosesHaveThorns · 03/09/2021 19:56

Lots of bin princesses on mumsnet, who would've thunk it!

captainpillows · 03/09/2021 19:57

I must be a bin princess!
He does outside jobs, I do inside
Works for us 😃

Looubylou · 03/09/2021 19:59

I put the bin in and out in our house. However, I can understand how a partner might walk past the bin and leave it for their partner, if their partner walks past the dust, dirt and crumbs in the house, and would continue using a shower until the mould covered all surfaces, and sleep in sheets for years, and whose relatives would never get a card or present if it was left to them.

Quirrelsotherface · 03/09/2021 20:00

My DH puts the bins out, changes lightbulbs and cleans the cars. If that makes me a princess, then so be it. Better that than the wheelie bin police. Live and let live.

TheWitchersWife · 03/09/2021 20:00

I come back from nursery with 2 children in a pushchair. I'm normally struggling with 2 children, getting them in the house, wellies off, coats off, bags put away, push chair put away that honestly I can't be arsed to leave the kids unattended while I unlock the back door, unlock the back gate, go get the bin, try and pull it up and over some steps, and then lock the gate.
Yes, it's DHs job, and I don't care at all.
If the bin men had left it blocking the street or pavement or someone's drive I would pull it onto our path, but that's it.

BastardMonkfish · 03/09/2021 20:00

@reallifegetsintheway2

True x2. But how can people actively walk a bin and leave it for their partner to do? I couldn't that's all.
Same way lots of men leave their dishes beside the dishwasher for women to load in. If I'm a bin princess DH is a dish prince and I'm damn sure I'm not doing every job round the sodding house.
MyPatronusIsACat · 03/09/2021 20:01

@EvenRosesHaveThorns

Lots of bin princesses on mumsnet, who would've thunk it!
Bincesses.

I thank you, I thank you.... I'm here all week....... Grin

MsWalterMitty · 03/09/2021 20:02

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

Whoever is home first puts the bins back, I tend to put them out and bring them back as home first. I don’t subscribe to his and her jobs, everything that needs doing just gets done between us.
Same here! It’s weird! I’ll cut the grass out the hedges just as much as DH will do the ironing or laundry
Raindancer411 · 03/09/2021 20:05

Partner puts it out when he gets up for work and I bring it in 🤷‍♀️

Dangermouse5 · 03/09/2021 20:09

I drive past my bins to get to my house unless the bin men have a new person in training who has put it in the middle of entrance to my driveway.

But then bins are my default job if my adult son doesn't do it, nor any of my able bodied DDs do it, and they are blipping heavy when they are full. And I'm disabled

If there is a pink and blue job when usually pink does so much more and takes on most of the housework jobs, then fair enough. It's a division of Labour even if not a fair one. In our household it is divided by able bodied and disabled... and the disabled one (me! Pink or a mix of blue and pink!) still does by far most of the household chores!!! Smile

olidora63 · 03/09/2021 20:12

I am a bin princess 👑Can honestly say I have never been interested enough to take notice of our neighbours bin habits …shall pay attention next Monday and get back to you all!!

Dangermouse5 · 03/09/2021 20:15

I meant fair enough that anyone says in a couple "hey your job is at least the bins" When they (female with DCs) usually do so much more! Ofc if the couple share tasks more evenly then bins won't be a male job but a shared job. Fantastic to hear a few couples have this sorted more evenly! As I said it's a non disabled chore in my household.

I don't know anyone (female) that doesn't try to trade off cleaning toilet for sorting bins (and putting them / bringing them in) out with their (male) partner. And it's usually a very uneven job division.. as toilets need cleaning at least twice a day... unlike bins...

AfternoonToffee · 03/09/2021 20:18

I'm a bin princess too, I think I should be a Bin Queen as they are often pulled back in by my elderly neighbour. (He does it, there is no expectation that he will, I am often still in the shower when I hear him popping it back round)

QuizzlyBear · 03/09/2021 20:19

I do all bin and recycling duties. Plus all fecking household duties usually as my DH isn't so much lazy as... well, it would just never occur to him and I like things done without having to nag repeatedly.

He gets an easy life and I get a lifetime of simmering resentment...

BastardMonkfish · 03/09/2021 20:22

@MsWalterMitty it's not really weird, most of us have been raised by parents and grandparents who would have split jobs around the house according to gender roles. The 1950s were not that long ago. And some of the reasons for the gender divide are perfectly valid; DH is bigger and stronger physically than me so it's easier for him to lift the big petrol hedge cutter to trim the hedges. If you're at home looking after young children (a position much more women than men will be in) you can't really head into the garden for a couple of hours to cut the grass, you wouldn't hear your baby crying. I could go on but I can't be bothered because everyone knows all of this anyway.

Arrowheart · 03/09/2021 20:22

You are way too invested in who brings a bin in OP. I honestly couldn't give a fuck about who brings the bin in.

BastardMonkfish · 03/09/2021 20:24

'And it's usually a very uneven job division.. as toilets need cleaning at least twice a day... unlike bins...'

You clean your toilets twice a day?!

Miniroofbox · 03/09/2021 20:24

I can’t get my head around that there’s something wrong with how I’m doing things re my bloody bins.

Don’t you have anything better to do op?

MyPatronusIsACat · 03/09/2021 20:25

@BastardMonkfish

'And it's usually a very uneven job division.. as toilets need cleaning at least twice a day... unlike bins...'

You clean your toilets twice a day?!

Must have some serious cases of the trots in that house, if the loo needs cleaning twice a day. Ours gets done twice a week!
MyPatronusIsACat · 03/09/2021 20:26

@BastardMonkfish

'And it's usually a very uneven job division.. as toilets need cleaning at least twice a day... unlike bins...'

You clean your toilets twice a day?!

Must have some serious cases of the trots in that house, if the loo needs cleaning twice a day. Ours gets done twice a week!