If I had a house it would always be tidy?

[flamesoffire]

Colleague asked what I was doing at the weekend and I just gave the generic answer of meeting a friend for coffee and I really need to clean the house.

(For reference I mean hoover, put clean washing away, clean the bathroom, my house isn’t a state but I’ve been a bit lazy this week).

She responded with “if I had a house it would always be clean”

Shes late 20s and still lives in her bedroom, which is fine as the housing situation is shit but if you’ve never had to run a house on your own then you have no idea what it takes.

What do you mean by “still lives in her bedroom”?

in the family home? Houseshare? Are there no communal areas? Are they shit tips, does she not clean anywhere other than her bedroom?

surely she lives in a house of some sort and needs to keep it clean, whether she actually owns it or not?

I've never done a weekend clean in 15 years of living here, my house is always clean as I just keep on top of it. What's wrong with what she's said? Some people do it daily, some save it for the weekend, some don't bother at all. She was stating how she believes she would deal with it.

I had a very tidy house when I lived alone and before having dcs.

Tell her come back when she has had 2dcs and continues working full time. Life will take care of that.

"If I had a house it would always be clean"

"So you can see why I need to spend time at the weekend keeping mine clean, then, you dumb fuck"

She may well be right. Some people love cleaning and I guess they know who they are!

🤣🤣

Yes, lots of things are just what you do! Like cleaning, feeding your kids sticking the wash on. I just find it funny to say my house is always tidy because I tidy as I go. You can only tidy something if it is untidy in the first place.

I have a house ( and some kids, they are no excuse) and it’s always clean and tidy, what’s your point?

It's just illogical to me. Maybe cos I'm autistic. But 'I keep on top of it' means 'I clean as I go' but if it wasn't unclean there would be nothing to clean. Therefore it is not always clean.

“Better a house unkempt than a life unlived”. Rose Macaulay.

Keeping one room clean is one thing, a half decent sized house and working full time with kids is totally another! She will learn.

Indeed, if I lived alone (or at least with no DC or pets!) my house would always be tidy 🙄

Are you sure she meant it like that?

Could it be that she was just daydreaming about having a house, rather than meaning you are dirty.

Funny, we just had a conversation like this at work amongst 5 or 6 women. Weekend plans led to housecleaning talk. Some clean every day, some wait for the weekend and do a longer dash about. Each to their own.

If your colleague has just one room to tidy, then she is underestimating keeping a house tidy. It may well be tidy all the time, but not without some time put in.

I had one colleague state she can never keep things clean because her toddler always has her snacks and crumbs everywhere. I had to shut my mouth to tell her not to let her little one run around with snacks. We all live differently.

I'm autistic too but see it totally differently to you.

I don't need to tidy because I never make a mess. I don't see putting things back after I've used them as tidying - it's just part of using that item.

Tidying for me is leaving stuff laying around and then dedicating a set period of time to going around and deliberately tidying it up again.

😂

Precisely.

Who'd have thought, you keep a house clean by... wait for it... cleaning it.

Just wait til she has kids OP 🙄 she's in for a shocker.

Yes to this!

I said that when I lived in a bedroom. And now my house is usually clean and tidy. I know myself and I need clean to feel comfortable.

You sure she wasn't agreeing with you? You said you're you're etc maybe she thought that was you always being tidy?

Funny how we see it differently! I for example get my skincare bag out in the morning and pull out a product, use it, then tidy it back into bag. After all used I'll tidy the bag back into the cupboard. While I'm using my skincare my bathroom is not tidy til I've put it all away again.

You see messages like this try and make you feel guilty for enjoying the calm of a tidy house.
I've always been tidy.
Hasn't stopped me travelling, abseiling etc , having 4 kids, working full time.
Throwing parties Etc
Working my way up the property ladder (by doing houses up )
I couldn't live my life fully from a place messy chaos.
Please tell me this quote is a lie spread by people who cba to clean to put others down.

It’s odd isn’t it!

I guess I know I am tidying but I see it as part of doing skincare, like drying myself and hanging my towels back up is part of having a shower, or washing up is part of cooking a meal.

I personally find I can’t settle if I haven’t put my stuff away - it’s like the job isn’t “finished” yet.

I agree that it’s just a way to put people down. It’s always aimed at women too!

I have a friend whose house is always show home immaculate (she doesn't watch much TV apart from escape to the country type programs). She has no pets, no children, and a 4 hour a week job as partner is well off so she can and does spend every minute cleaning. I'm terrified to visit her in case I knock anything over. In fact I've refused to visit any longer and from now on we'll just be meeting up for very occasional coffees.

My house doesn't look like that but most people aren't afraid of coming in.

I have a friend whose house is showhome orderly @IFHTTBIC - it’s a bit spooky going round there!
My house is clean and tidy because we all make an effort to keep it that way, and we have a cleaner. I hate mess and clutter, if things are got out they are put away, we have a place for everything. We also don’t have too much ‘stuff’ in communal areas.
It looks like a lived in family home but it’s kept neat and tidy and clean.
Maybe the person who made the comment would always keep their house clean and tidy and not have to spend too much time maintaining it.
Things like putting laundry away are just never ending chores though, that’s a daily task here - washing and putting away clothes, same as loads of other stuff, hoovering, wiping the kitchen sides etc, a few minutes here and there mean the difference between having to actively set aside time to ‘do the cleaning’ and not.