Just posted this on a thread about "what makes you rant":
My father coming round today and asking when I'm going to tidy all the toys away/chuck them in the bin as "you can't move in here" and the "kids shouldn't have all these toys" (told him if he didn't like it tough, tidy it himself, as I let my kids play with their toys, not keep them in a box - long story, but I think he got the message - and the kids tidy their own toys, I'm not a slave. (A woman's place again grrr and I am 31, not 13)
I was not expecting him, he just turned up. Previous to this, today I had done 3 loads of washing up/bleaching pans,sorting out papers & tins etc for recycling, stripped bed, washed covers, hung on line, made bed, made kids breakfast, washed/dressed them, changed nappies, made dinner, washed up, cleaned cooker and worktops, tidied cupboard and kitchen, took out rubbish, played with kids, refereed between fights, sorted out papers, put dry washing into each room in piles to put away, 3 more loads of washing, bathed kids, cleaned bathroom, tidied hall, put dd in bed, built train track with ds and tidied his room, washed hair. Had just taken towel off head (looks like I've had a fright when wet), preparing to comb it when father arrived, looked me up and down in horror and made above comments.
And I was feeling pleased with myself up to this point as I normally ignore any tidying as I need to be on mumsnet or reading a vital magazine wherever possible. :o
If he had turned up tomorrow, I would have finished tidying. Have not tidied anymore in act of rebellion now, and am sitting here typing.
I usually go mad on a Friday cleaning and tidying so I can do nothing all weekend, tidy again on Monday, through week as and when something needs doing. DP moans that I don't put his clothes away or pick up after him - he's an adult, don't see why I should. Can't stand mess on worktops, tin openers left out or dirty bathrooms - he knows this makes me mad, and I cannot leave it to make a point as he will just ignore it, and then usually someone will come round from his family and I'll get the blame for a dirty house. Our bedroom consists of piles of his clothes and my neatly sorted piles of "things to be sorted" like paperwork etc. - which drives him mad. We have very little storage space so everything is always "on display" and every time I blitz it, it just reappears. Life's too short - I would rather watch tv or play trains with my kids than worry "omg, my house isn't a showhouse". I can have a showhouse when my kids have left home, if people don't like it, then they are told don't come round - makes less mess for me to clear up and don't have to spend hours worrying if the towels are screwed up on the bath or not.
Dread going to friends houses though, they're all immaculate, and the kids play with one toy at a time, then put it back properly and help to tidy up etc. Still trying to drill this concept into my household. DP complained I keep moving the washing basket from the bathroom to the machine so he doesn't know where the washing should go and voted for the floor/back of sofa/floor of kitchen. Pointed out I move it as I am loading/unloading washer at time.
I prefer to leave things in "piles" and sort a room at a time. I am allergic to ironing and my idea of getting creases out is to hang things up near a radiator and iron only if it's for something like dp wanting his posh "meetings" shirt, kids parties, things at school. Or use the tumble dryer. I am crap at ironing, never been shown how to do it properly and am certainly not going to ask anyone to teach me at my age.
Before kids, I worked full time and just had piles of paperwork/crap/magazines to sort, ornaments to gather dust, and light housework as I was always out or at work and lived on takeaways. Besides, when we tidy up we can't find things!