What would cause someone to suddenly change their cleaning habits?

[Kreature]

So my girlfriend has never been house proud and has been known to leave pots for 2+ days before getting around to doing them. I'm the same so I'm not complaining. On a normal day the sink would be full of pots, there would be dirty clothes chucked all over the bedroom floor, the bed would NEVER be made and there would be at least 4 coffee cups hanging around the rooms of the house that GF had used and not bothered to wash. So anyway around two weeks ago (roughly) I came from from work and she'd completely blitzed the kitchen, I mean it was SPOTLESS. Well exceeding Mother's standard IYSWIM! I expressed shock when I walked in, we both laughed about it and I told her I'd try and keep it looking so nice. Thing is since then she seems to have got rather obsessive about housework. The kitchen has remained spotless ever since but it's that extreme that if you open a cupboard and a crumb falls out she's straight onto it with the flash spray vigorously scrubbing away. She's hoovered the back porch which is often full of sawdust because of the rabbits but as they constantly make a mess, she seems to be CONSTANTLY hoovering the back porch. The living room is also spotless, she gets really stressed out if a used cup is in sight and just can't seem to chill out until it's cleaned and put away in a cupboard. Carpet - spotless. Sofa cusions militarily controlled so they're sat at JUST the right angle and god forbid anyone mess them up. Today I came in from work and the bedroom resembled something out of a catalogue. Not only was it tidy but everything was arranged and the covers flawlessly decreased and turned over at the top etc etc

This might be normal to most of you but this is NOT her. I know it isn't a problem as such but I'm just wondering what could make someone suddenly change a habit of a lifetime and actually stick to it permanantly for this long and with such precision. Could stress cause this?

Oh I do this too - go through phases with housekeeping where the house is either an absolute pit or obsessively perfect.

It's a head thing.

Just thought of something else. She's been spending like there's no tomorow. Usually she's tight as hell with money and won't spend a penny unless she has to but a couple of weeks ago she ordered a load of clothes for herself from H&M on a credit card, then did the same with Next (at one point the Next delivery bloke knocked on our door 4 days out of 5. It actually became a running joke that she fancied him!) She bought a new HTC phone, has bought make-up etc when she never normally wears it, bought a rug from Argos (on the store card) because she liked the shade of green on it and is now considering buying an xbox Kinect. I think this has even suprised/scared her because she's given me her credit cards and told me not to give them back to her unless it's an emergency! This is NOT her, she's usually so careful with money.

Cleaning is my displacement activity so you can always tell when I am nervous, worried or angry as you can eat your dinner of any surface you care to name. When I am happy, relaxed and calm the place is at best, a bit of a state!

Also, when I am nervous, worried etc I lose my appetite and do tend to lose weight quite quickly. It sounds to me like she is doing the same.

Dont make a big deal of it, but DO make sure you say something nice about the state of thehouse, so she feels appreciated. I am sure that within a couple of weeks of her being at Uni it will be back to normal :)

Has she joined any FB Uni groups? They might be able to help support her and to get to know fellow students before she starts. FWIW, I am due to start Uni in the next few weeks and have moments of terror! I've also started mentally reorganising the bedroom and buying a bookcase etc. Just feel that I need some control and organisation...does sound like she is going to extremes though.

I know whenever I have lots of studying and writing to do, my house suddenly and mysteriously becomes immaculately clean. Oh, look, the floor desperately needs mopping, I'll definitely have to leave the next chapter until that's done....

It does all fit with the uni thing doesn't it? I mean the new clothes, make-up and hair do etc I think maybe she's hoping to reinvent herself, make new friends etc. I have told her the house is looking amazing and so relaxing to come home to I think she has joined a student forum.

Is she expecting a visit from someone special?
Maybe her mother?
Or a girlfriend she wants to impress?
Anyway, don't worry, it won't be a boyfriend she wants to impress, because she will know men never notice these things. Or do they?

Constant cleaning activity coupled with overspending particularly can be classic symptoms of the 'manic' phase of bi-polar disorder.

I don't wish to imply that your partner definitely has this mental illness (because how could I possibly know from a mumsnet post) but do you know if she has ever suffered from mental health issues?

Hmmm, does she have anvil twin? (sorry couldn't resist)

Evil twin!!

I agree with bogey she's just stressed about the social aspects of uni, how people will perceive her (the clothes).

Make sure you support her in joining a few clubs, as she's not going to be in halls she'll feel isolated otherwise - from experience it really is the best way of meeting people - and just be prepared for her to be off-radar for a little while as she settles in. This aspect of uni is so important, especially if she's doing a non-vocational course, for her career as much as anything.

You sound jolly sweet. Does she have all her stationary and book and dairy etc for uni yet? -because something from here would make a great pressie and earn you a gazillion boyfriend points and make her think of you while she's at lectures and that. Whilst being helpful and supportive and that.

Jesus I should have edited that message before posting

Spending
Sudden interest in appearance
increase in activity

Worst case scenario; Manic episode, affair or drugs?
Best case scenario; Turned over a new leaf

Hopefully the latter.

If the house was that bad, OP, why weren't you helping to keep it tidy? Assuming, from what you have said, you live together so it's up to you as well
! Maybe she has just got sick of it being a pigsty.

Sounds like an attempt to bring her life under control before starting her degree to me; explains the cleaning blitz and the losing weight. This may be her normal response to significant stress at life-changing moments. How long have you known her? Have you talked to her mother about it?

I really don't think an affair is likely. Maybe if she'd changed her personal hygeine routine, e.g. had a Brazilian when she'd never had one before or started wearing perfume all the time. But not cleaning the house!

I don't know - but maybe you could hire her out??

Sorry - I hope she's OK and it's all just part of getting herself organised for uni. Someone has probably been bending her ear about needing to ger uber organised before it starts...

I wish she was mine but sadly i'm straight.
If I ever get round to stepping out of my squalour I would be like this because not maintaining/not being a Monica is a slippery slope back to messy.
Good for her - I would be praising her to bits, complimenting the weight loss,
approving the rug and cooking her a nice meal.
And stop leaving rings/crumbs/messing up the cushions

I also did dramatic new hair cut, bag and clothes in an attempt to look cool. Didn't work!

Bloody Hell - I'm not showing DH this thread - he'll expect me to clean the house before I start Uni too. (Have instead booked myself some massages & spa treatments to while away the hours when the dcs are at school ).

The cleaning,spending and your statements that this is just 'not her' may point to deteriorating mental health. Think she needs to see GP

I've started doing the same as OP's girlfriend. Because I'm tired of living in a pit! She probably is too.

I swear to god if I didn't clean up this house would be an absolute shite hole. DP would probably get trapped and perish under takeaway cartons if I let him have his way

Deteriorating mental health? For wanting a clean house?

If the behaviour continues for a long period and gets progressively worse then yes, it could indicate MH issues. However, for a couple of weeks before the GF does something that she has admitted being worried about, I wouldnt be calling the GP just yet. If she is still like this, and worse towards Xmas then I would be thinking that this is a problem.