Do you keep your house/flat clean and tidy all the time?

Caporegime
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Firstly, obvs this is a computer forum so I should clarify that by messy I just mean a "normal" amount of mess - as in some clutter that could be cleared up within say 30 mins or so and/or maybe you've skimped on the hoovering for a little bit etc... I'm not talking hoarder or basement-dwelling NEET levels of messy.

So essentially at one end of the spectrum are you on top of everything - do you keep your house tidy/clean as in all rooms hovered, bathroom cleaned, kitchen floor mopped, bed sheets changed weekly. Kitchen table/surfaces cleaned daily, no dirty dishes left out overnight etc... i.e, some friend or relative could pop over unannounced or at short notice and you'd not need to worry.

Perhaps at the other end of the (reasonable, non-NEET) spectrum do you let it get a bit cluttered - when you have visitors etc.. you'd much rather have some notice so you do a quick tidy/clean before they arrive. If a relative arrived unannounced it wouldn't be ideal at all etc... you might have left it a couple of weeks between washing sheets, you might not have hoovered for over a fortnight etc.. you've got some clutter in the lounge you'd need to clear up, papers all over the dining room table etc..

Just curious as I've sometimes seen pictures posted in threads like the images of things I've bought thread or other threads showing off computer or hi-fi gear and some people's places are immaculate, others make me think "damn, at least tidy up the clutter if you're going to post a photo online". Also Marie Kondo was quite popular not too long ago which indicates quite a few people do want to reduce clutter further than their current levels etc..
 
Soldato
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I keep it clean yes, as in vacuuming, dusting, doing dishes after each meal etc. etc. But I'm a bloke, so it's basically organised chaos. But I know where everything is. My missus made the mistake once of going to look for something in my 'man drawers', had to call in Bear Grylls and cave rescue to find her again.
 
Soldato
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I'd rather have notice before someone visited.

It's less a case of tidiness on my end than it is liking to be prepared, I don't like to feel like I'm not in control of whatever situation I'm in. A little neurotic on my end I suppose but I'm a very private person in general and feel uncomfortable when I'm surprised by anything. I will admit a small part of that is that I'll sometimes go a little longer without cleaning than I should, although this is usually just a case of not running the hoover through for a few days or having a few dishes in the sink. When I know someone is coming to visit I like to make my home spotless, I'll clean through entirely and that includes mopping floors and what have you even if they're already decent.

I absolutely wouldn't post a picture of my home if it wasn't spotless.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
24 Sep 2005
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35,487
Absolutely not!!

A messy desk/bed/house, a messy mind... that’s me!!

There are few feelings finer in life than going downstairs in the morning to a beautifully clean kitchen... with an empty dishwasher. Blissful.
 
Soldato
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SW3
Yes, I hate the thought of people coming round and thinking my house is a mess so I keep it spotless all the time.

It’s easy enough for me though as I live on my own and I’m out the house 13 hours a day.
 
Soldato
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18 Jan 2007
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Dorset
So essentially at one end of the spectrum are you on top of everything - do you keep your house tidy/clean as in all rooms hovered, bathroom cleaned, kitchen floor mopped, bed sheets changed weekly. Kitchen table/surfaces cleaned daily, no dirty dishes left out overnight etc... i.e, some friend or relative could pop over unannounced or at short notice and you'd not need to worry.
We’re certainly at this end of the scale. Friends can drop in any time, and I wouldn’t be worried.
 
Caporegime
OP
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I guess perhaps for people with kids I should have posed the question as before you had kids as I don't doubt that changes things dramatically.
 
Soldato
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Show us a picture of your house.

I like to keep things immaculate. Everything has a place and a place for everything.

I can't sleep otherwise.
 
Man of Honour
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Tosche Station
2 year old, so one does one's best to keep some semblance of order but it can always be tidier. We recently got the house cleaner than it has been in years due to estate agents/viewings etc and it's quite shocking how differently I felt about the place.

On the whole, we're probably around the middle.
 
Man of Honour
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25 Oct 2002
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Hampshire
Not at all, need minimum two hours notice before receiving visitors, preferably a lot longer. Usually end up chucking a bunch of stuff in our bedroom and shutting the door. Even when we clean and tidy up one weekend it's usually a bit of a mess by the following weekend.

Doesn't help we have a huge amount of clutter, every room that isn't a bathroom must have over 500 items in it.

Whenever I see pics others have posted I'm astounded as to how tidy/empty their rooms are, although I accept people with loads of mess probably don't take pictures of it.

Main reason we didn't move house a few years ago was we were never able to get the house into a state where I'd be happy hosting viewings.
 
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