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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not do a massive 'Christmas clean'

199 replies

monicagellerbing · 21/12/2023 08:51

I was always brought up with my mam every year cleaning the whole house top to bottom including things like the oven the fridge, kitchen cupboards, literally everything. I've always done the same every year and stressed myself out but this year I just cannot be arsed. The house is clean and tidy as I do keep the house nice but I can feel the fridge and oven and carpets calling to be cleaned just because its Christmas and I don't want to! I'm busy all of this week but could squeeze in some polishing if I HAD to. What do you think?

YABU - Christmas is for cleaning get it done you lazy cow
YANBU - do the bare minimum as the kids will trash it anyway

Can't enable voting, I'm on the app

OP posts:
Buglady01 · 21/12/2023 12:50

I find it a bit sad how many people seem to clean for the sake of their in-laws. We're lucky enough to be invited to our son and daughter-in-law's for Christmas day and I couldn't care less what they have or haven't cleaned - I'm just grateful that we get to share the day with them 😊

dutysuite · 21/12/2023 13:03

My mum used to also do this, I do to some degree but not to the extent she did. I like to have all my cupboards clean and the house looking tidy. I have learned over the years the less pressure I put myself under the better my Christmas is.

Sophierx89 · 21/12/2023 13:12

I'm feeling the same this year, have set aside some time on Saturday to hoover the house and clean the bathrooms but that's all I'm doing! I want to spend the next few days watching movies, eating crap and drinking Bailey's!

MythicBish · 21/12/2023 13:42

The normal part of our hoover has literally just broken this morning, so I've spent all morning shuffling around on my hands and knees using the hose attachment (which is the only bit that still works) hoovering every inch of the entire house; nearly bringing myself too tears!

I get myself too worked up about having it super clean before Christmas. We're not having guests and my family genuinely don't care if it's immaculate or not so I dont know why I get myself in such a tizzy.

I do love when the house smells and looks amazing but is it worth all the extra effort. Im not a super neat freak usually, which I think is part of the problem- it means it takes me longer than someone who's always meticulous and on top of it

tadpolelove · 21/12/2023 13:47

I'm in the middle of my Xmas clean right now. I do it because I don't do anything apart from the basics (hoover, clean bathroom and wash up 2056874 times) between Xmas and new year. Plus my daughter, son in-law and granddaughter are coming tomorrow for 7 nights and I just want it all done so I can just chill. So far I've stripped the sofas and cleaned underneath them. Washed my rugs, cleaned some walls and skirting, cleaned the fridge. Need to strip the beds, clean the oven and do 3079368 loads of washing. I love doing it I like to feel fresh

Desecratedcoconut · 21/12/2023 13:51

I still need to clean the oven but I have to clean between the two glass panels - which is a two person job if you don't want to risk the door flinging up mid clean and shattering the glass.

Nonplusultra · 21/12/2023 14:07

Midway through mine, but it happens in stages. The living areas get cleaned when the tree goes up, mainly because furniture gets moved to reveal a years worth of crud underneath. I’m not close enough to the windows to notice at other times of year, but they get a clean when the garlands and lights go on.

Kitchens and bathrooms get a good going over this week. I have too many helpful guests and I don’t want someone finding something bad in the fridge! It’s sheer practicality. I suspect people who don’t feel compelled to clean are better housekeepers than I am.

I love getting the laundry done so I can ignore it for at least a week while I read and eat leftovers.

terraced · 21/12/2023 14:51

I didn't know this was a thing.

tobee · 21/12/2023 14:55

No.

My granny, my mum's mum, was a stickler for tidying up - basically Mrs Tittlemouse.

My mum was therefore constantly guilty because she hated tidying, Christmas or anytime.

I try to be reasonably clean and tidy but try to eschew the guilt. It's corrosive.

However, i currently have a car full of stuff for the dump and will be driving off any minute now. I love a trip to the dump! Xmas Smile

Need to about a gazillion more trips though----

WestwardHo1 · 21/12/2023 14:58

I wonder if any men are discussing this.

VestaTilley · 21/12/2023 15:03

YANBU. There just isn’t time. We’re lucky, we have a cleaner so basics are done. We change the bedding and will clean the oven, but that’s it. It’s a lovely idea, but if you work and have young children a deep clean at Christmas isn’t always practically. It’s the sort of thing my late DGM would have done too, but I’m not sure we see it as much nowadays.

headcheffer · 21/12/2023 15:07

I do like a nice clean house for Christmas, because I think it looks messier easier with all the presents around etc. But I don't kill myself over it. I find January a really nice month for having a clear out and deep clean as not much else is going on, so we tend to focus on a particular area every weekend.

Lochness1975 · 21/12/2023 15:09

I usually do! Struggling to find the motivation this year though

Jessie278 · 21/12/2023 15:11

I do this. No idea why.
It's time consuming and stressful Confused

Corblimeys · 21/12/2023 15:13

I struggle with all the clutter of christmas as we have visitors sheis in the hall, their lao tops , chocs out etc so i do like to de junk amd clean before c mas .. buy am ill so i cant . I guess if u enjoy it do it ! If it doesn’t matter to you then dont .

Tinkerbyebye · 21/12/2023 15:20

Call me slovenly but my kitchen cupboards never get cleaned (in fact none of my cupboards anywhere get cleaned out ) unless something has split, and the oven gets cleaned every couple of years by over cleaner guy. Fridge gets wiped as an when

as to the rest, it’s done as and when although when the decs come down 1st Jan I tend to do a thorough clean of dusting and hoovering

Desecratedcoconut · 21/12/2023 15:21

WestwardHo1 · 21/12/2023 14:58

I wonder if any men are discussing this.

I heard three boys muttering scathingly about the Christmas clean, but the dissention was thwarted with hot chocolate.

Spacemoon · 21/12/2023 15:22

Genuinely confused at how many people are saying this isn't a thing. In my experience, it very much is a thing. Everyone in my family, DHs family and our friends, colleagues etc all do a big clean at least once, if not twice at Christmas, once before the decs go up and often again before the big day (usually Xmas eve morning or the day before).

Personally, I enjoy doing it, but that may be more to do with me needing to have things in order. I have ADHD and get very overwhelmed with all the excess toys, wrapping paper, noise, excitement, general piles of extra food in cupboards etc at Christmas, so I like to try my best to have everything as neat as possible beforehand so it doesn't get too much for me.

I would do this regardless of if we have guests or not. It isn't for them really, but for myself.

So if it's something you're ok without doing and don't have guests (think for making sure they have fresh towels, bedding etc more than just to make your house look spotless for them) then leave it! If you don't have time and it won't stress you out to leave it, then don't do it!

Life's too short and if it was something I would be happy enough to leave, I would. There's already so much to do at Christmas so relax!

Celebrationsnakes · 21/12/2023 15:33

It's a thing here. I've started my Xmas clean. Everyone in my family does this and always has.

diamondpony80 · 21/12/2023 15:56

I don't specifically do a Christmas clean and we don't even spend Christmas in our own house. I do like coming back to a clean house for the new year though so usually do my "big clean" in December rather than doing a spring clean.

Readingineading · 21/12/2023 15:56

I was brought up like you OP, full house cleaned on Xmas eve and all beds changed. When I had young kids I asked my mum why and it was because she knew that getting us kids to help clean would tire us out so we would sleep that night 😂.

NancyJoan · 21/12/2023 16:01

We will have a house full of visitors, and work has been so busy I have barely cleaned for a month. So, yes, I will be blitzing, but only because it’s so awful. If my house way generally clean and tidy, I would be happy as a clam.

Ohtobetwentytwo · 21/12/2023 16:07

I do a massive Christmas clean because i like a clean house and so an immaculate house is a real treat.

I love knowing that I can live like a slob for the week and it will still be clean.

Nothing like seeing a job that needs doing to ruin the chilled vibes!

DragonMama3 · 21/12/2023 16:08

@WestwardHo1 Nah.

We keep having power cuts... boo!

Dutch1e · 21/12/2023 16:09

I do a few corners when I shift the furniture around to put up the tree etc. And I do a clean out of the small storage room in the attic as bringing down the boxes of Christmas stuff is an ideal time to dig in

But honestly, the house is no worse than any other time of year when I happily open the door to friends & family so I can't really imagine a Whole House Clean on top of the usual planning & hosting. It's supposed to be a peaceful time for crying out loud!