AIBU to invite people over when...

[siblingrivalryisrelative]

...my house is a mess?

DS is supposed to be having his first friends over for the day tomorrow. I've tried my hardest to keep the house tidy because the parents are coming too but the house is a mess!

Do other parents worry about this sort of thing? Or will they just be glad not to have to worry about entertaining?

I can easily put them off if I'm out of order!

ach no!!! do what i do and scoop the mess into the cupboards and spread a few of the DC toys around the living room. Houses with kids need to look lived in....

Cheat. Go round with a laundry basket or black bag to temporarily move odd items out of the way. Plump the cushions and quickly vac the floor. Shut doors where possible.

No! THe parents will be relieved that your house isn't a showhome where their children could potentially wreak havoc, and the kids won't notice.

Oh, and it will be far worse when they leave, so no point busting a gut to get it pristine in the first place!

Im terribly fussy about my house being clean and tidy so for me it would have to be immaculate however, no one that I know thinks like this and everyone takes this piss out fo me for it so I doubt anyone will acre if your place is a mess... its probably not as bad as you think anyway.

here's an example - today was my DS1 6th birthday and the family (i am the youngest of 8) were coming to the house so i spent an hour going around scooping up the clean clothes waiting to be ironed and sticking it all in the cupboard in my living room then placed the kitchen table and chairs across the door to the cupboard so no one could get in.

needn;t have bothered since everyone sat out in the garden today.....

not at all in my view

I always remember my mum rushing around like a blue arse fly trying to keep things tidy and then my sister and I getting yelled at for making a mess

Tbh my house looks like a bombs hit it, but its clean iyswim. At least it looks lived in, and I am not half as stressed as what my mum used to get like. (Altho if she comes round, then it WILL be tidy :P )

If they are anything like me they will be pleased that your place is not immaculate when theirs isn't either!

I always tried to keep my place spotless, but after visiting friends with DCs and DSs mates houses, I am now not such a neurotic freak and accept that it is OK and normal!

No! You are being awesome because you're putting your son's needs before your ego.

You'll regret it more if you miss out on an opportunity to entertain than if you skip it because the house wasn't in model-home order.

Perfectionists are the most boring people I know.

Everyone else's houses seemed spitless to me...even though I could see baskets full of waashing, kitchens with washing up in them...

As long as your bathroom isn't ridden with 30 diff types of mould and penecillin, and your surfaces in the kitchen are clean (regardless of stuff that needs to be done - surfaces are KEY) you're ok

Spitless? I should hope they were....

Spotless

As long as the bathroom is clean and no dishes in the sink

Spray a bit of furniture polish in the air
and any papers or books hanging around just put them in a pile and straighten them.

It's amazing how putting books and chairs straight gives an illusion of tidiness, where the exact same books in the exact same place all untidy and opened makes the place look messy.

clean your bathroom
vacuum all over
pick up odds and ends in box/basket
do all washing up

this will take 45 mins tops and will make world of difference.

yanbu

Unless your house is actually filthy, the parents won't care about a bit of mess.

I agree with Piff, that's all you need to do.