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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Comments on mess... why?

69 replies

Thissucks125 · 14/03/2025 06:05

When I met my boyfriend 4 years ago he was around 2 years single. He was 13 years older than me. I was 31. I remember him telling me his ex had been really messy when they met. He described it as her full house was hoarded up. A cat pooing everywhere etc..he told me how she was struggling with paying a mortgage. He helped her sort the house out. Turn it around. Did the garden. Re pointed the bricks. From what I had seen on Facebook of her she was a normal person. I didnt see any signs of mess. She was independent. No children. Worked hard. I couldn't see any way she would have been dependant on him.

When we met I still shared a house (now sold) with My ex. So 18 months ago I began renting. I have a nice bungalow. Its 6 years old. It's small I guess. Open planned. When I moved in I bought sofas. Table. Beds and bedroom furniture all brand new. Plus a washer and fridge freezer. All my kitchen stuff was new aswel. I wasn't hoarded up at all. The kids have had 2 Christmas and 2 birthdays each so they have more toys.

My house is cleaned regular and can be tidied up in an hour usually. The actual bedrooms can need a serious tidy up twice a month because the kids do play and get their toys out. My 10 year old is currently into messy projects like Loom bands, making stuff and crafts. So her room often is a little upside down. She's not the best at putting washing and rubbish in the bin. But that's the story of many parents.

Overall I feel I have a nice home. When my boyfriend comes over. He acts like he's constantly running about after me. I find it really patronising. If I make a sandwich he's constantly saying I've just tidied this kitchen and how have you managed in 5 minutes to trash the place. He also comments that the table gets stuff put onto it. He says when you open my cupboards everything falls out because I'm so messy.

Recently he's been needing to stay with his daughter because of work reasons and he's searching for a new house as landlord has sold his. He told me while she was working he tidied up her whole kitchen and it was messy bla bla bla. Because she had been baking a cake etc.

He then said why is it when I come to your house or go to my daughters I always end up tidying up after you both.

He doesn't have much anymore. He got into allt of debt last year as he lost his job for a while. He's not got any furniture etc. Sometimes I find it weird he has a suitcase to show for his entire life. But I'm really fed up of him putting me down when I'm capable of running my home and working and caring for my kids too.

He also commented that his ex wife and he never allowed the kids rooms to be a mess etc. Their house was always spotless. Yet they had a miserable marriage!

OP posts:
HygerTyger · 14/03/2025 09:51

He obviously feels like a loser in his own little life and has nothing to show for it so makes himself feel better by criticising others around him.

You're going to feel like you're on holiday in a 5 star spa every day in your own home when (not if) you dump this awful man.

melonalone · 14/03/2025 09:55

A man with no home is telling you how to run yours? No chance. Get rid.

treesandsun · 14/03/2025 10:21

You could just say - if you don't like how I keep the house - you don't need to visit. No one is asking you to clean the none existent mess up.

Lovelynames123 · 14/03/2025 10:25

God, for me, the best bit about having my own home with just the kids is that I can leave it exactly how I want, no way would I be letting someone who didn't live there have an opinion.

Your house sounds like mine, reasonably tidy although always clean but definitely lived in. Kids rooms are mostly messy but it's their mess behind closed doors, no issue.

Lose the idiot, IMO

Idontjetwashthefucker · 14/03/2025 10:26

So his ex wife, daughter and girlfriend all have messy houses do they? Fuck him right off, negging bastard...before he gets his feet properly under your table

User5274959 · 14/03/2025 10:29

He's rude.

I think it's time to seriously reconsider the relationship.

LastHeraldMage · 14/03/2025 10:33

He sounds like hard work to coin a mn phrase.

Imagine your life without him in it? Better I bet

Bananalanacake · 14/03/2025 10:38

He doesn't live there so don't let him in. Go on dates but don't let him in your house, if he complains say,,, I'm sick of you criticising my home so you're not coming in anymore.
Thank god he hasn't tried to move in with you.

MaryMary05 · 14/03/2025 12:08

I bet his isn’t the only way he’s a hypocrite.

computermelts · 14/03/2025 12:12

He's trying to dominate you and claim you "need" his advice and housekeeping skills so he can move in with you to "help" you.

Then he'll claim you're a hoarder, you're mentally ill, you can't cope alone....

It's easier to talk BS and make a few digs than work to pay the £1500 or so it would cost to live and rent independently.

Shinyandnew1 · 14/03/2025 16:58

Recently he's been needing to stay with his daughter because of work reasons and he's searching for a new house as landlord has sold his

This sounds like a man who rather likes the sound of moving into your house.

Molstraat · 14/03/2025 20:17

And yet you allow this loser use your home and be rude about it at the same time?

Can you really not see the really low bar you must have in men to tolerate this bullshit?

Really sad. You deserve so much better than an old homeless user.

YourChirpyFatball · 14/03/2025 20:20

He sounds so unsexy, constantly harping on about cleaning and untidiness. 😑

Crikeyalmighty · 14/03/2025 20:34

Oh god- this brings back memories- I lived with a guy many years ago who turned into mr ocd about neatness- he was actually a bit of a failure in many ways and came from quite a poor background- so a lovely house was his way of saying ‘I’ve done ok’ except it was massively excessive- I made plans to get out of it ( and I owned the house) at the point he insisted we had to use plastic cutlery and paper plates to save on pots!! I couldn’t put a cup down without it being tidied away- he basically wanted to live in a Barrett showhouse with no actual signs of life!!

get rid op -this type are weird

PhilomenaPunk · 14/03/2025 20:40

OP he is trying to make you doubt yourself. He is trying to bring you down so that you begin thinking he is here to rescue you. That you can’t live without him. That he knows better than you. That he is more capable than you. He will then move in. Then once he has his feet firmly under the table the abuse will really begin.

Please save yourself and your children the heartache and LTB.

Aligirlbear · 14/03/2025 22:25

You have a choice here - you don’t have to put up with his behaviour and criticism, you can tell him it’s over and he doesn’t need to come around anymore , which based on his moaning would be preferable anyway ! It’s not you it’s definitely him !

Ownyourchoices · 14/03/2025 22:30

bin this one. Why would you not?

CorsicaDreaming · 15/03/2025 06:19

Sounds very controlling behaviour to me - red flag territory.

BrightGreenPoet · 22/03/2025 13:40

I don't even know this guy and I want to break up with him...

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