Perfectionist or pig?

17 years ago

Could a stranger drop in without notice and find your house clean and orderly or would you need an hour's notice just to shovel the dirt out?

I don't like drop in's ;)

However, I am Type A when it comes to a clean and orderly home and married one just like me, so it's never been an issue. My sister, however, lives in a huge mess and never even notices it, she is completely content and carefree.... unless company is coming for the afternoon, then she goes nuts for about three hours, just to get it in reasonable shape for a quick glance.

How about you?

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Comments (39)

barb_from_pa
17 years ago
No one could ever drop in and find my house neat and orderly, but sometimes it's better than others. Right now it's not totally awful. (You good housekeepers would probably come in and faint at that statement.) :)
carol_in_california
17 years ago
I have never been a great housekeeper but the bathrooms are clean and you can find a seat without having to move anything.
If people come to visit me for how my house looks, they may as well stay home.
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angelaid
17 years ago
If anyone who used to know me saw the way I live now, they would be appalled. My house was always clean and picked up. Now just cleaning a bathtub or toilet causes me pain for days. I have to sit down and rest several times just trying to mop the kitchen floor. It's really depressing looking around at the mess. It's just overwhelming.
paula_pa
17 years ago
I am a perfectionist and a pig. I'm messy but I want my house to be perfect. I hate drop-ins. Well, I used to hate them but now I've gotten over it. With the two kids and working full-time it seems wrong to make the house too much of a priority.

I've been in plenty of messy houses and I didn't have a problem with it so I hope no one has a problem with mine. I try to keep it clean but it's not orderly.
des_arc_ya_ya
17 years ago
Call me an hour or two (or 3-4) before you show up, wouldya!? LOL
barbara3
17 years ago
There used to be a sign in the front porch of my childhood home that said, "This house is clean enough to be healthy but messy enough to be happy". That was my mother's philosophy of housekeeping and she passed it on to me.

Drop-ins may see some dust and dog hairs but they won't catch the plague.

Anyway, drop-ins have to expect to get what they get. If they want a perfectly clean house to visit, call ahead. And if a clean house is the only thing they are interested in, they can stay home.
Toni S
17 years ago
I'm not even close to perfection but I can't keep up with three kids, all the activities and various other goings on and have a perfect house.
So I pick and choose what needs to be done, and try to work on everything else when I can. I don't want my kids to be nervous wrecks because I want everything spick and span. I'd love it but don't expect it either.
Visitors might think how tidy things look over all or maybe they look at my to do paper work and shudder.
I clean the bathrooms as needed , which is often, sweep constantly but the kids only pick up their rooms every few days (cept for dirty clothes, that I insist on daily). The kitchen is cleaned daily, the laundry is always going, it's part of having a farm family of 5.

I'm somewhere in the middle. Not a pig, not perfect.
Purging and organization are my goals this year.
I'm going to hire more repair men and do less myself. There isn't enough time in the day to fix everything on my own!

Somedays I think how I'd love to have my house look all lovely ALL AT ONE TIME. On the other hand when I go into someones house that is perfect and spotless, I feel kind of nervous. Like I better not mess with anything or touch anything. I'm not saying I want dirt to feel good, but I like the lived in look. Clean and lived in.
Marilyn Sue
17 years ago
Can't we have a third choice!

Sue
lilliepad
17 years ago
I have never been a perfectionist but did (before I got old and decrepit) keep my house reasonably clean and neat.(Just don't look in the closets or under the beds.LOL)In the last few years with kids moving in and out,grand kids that never were taught to pick up after themselves,a DIL that's a slob(I love her but she is what she is) and people "leaving their stuff just until they have a place for it" and unloading stuff from my parents home when they passed,my house is a total disaster.Hopefully,when everyone has moved out in a couple of weeks I will be able to get it back in order.
I never minded "drop ins" but am a little embarrassed now when someone comes in.I have learned not to be too worried about what people think though.Most friends don't pay attention to how your house looks anyway and strangers can just take what they get!LOL
Barbara3-I have a plaque that says
"Come in,sit down,relax,converse.
My house doesn't always look like this,sometimes it's even worse!" That's my philosophy!
softball_80
17 years ago
put it this way... if a pig was in NY and a perfectionist was in LA, DW would be on the CA/NV border. I'd be in Cleveland, OH.
mylab123
Original Author
17 years ago
**ROTFL** softball!!
trishaw
17 years ago
My house is always messy, but drop ins are welcome as long as they don't say anything!

Trish
Kathsgrdn
17 years ago
More of a pig than perfectionist, I'm afraid. I work long, hard hours, am up at 5 am and back home between 8:30 and 9:30 pm. So, I normally spend the next day off recovering. Do bare mininum: laundry and dishes most of the time.

When I was single I used to clean my house from top to bottom, getting on hands and knees to clean the floors at least every other Saturday. Back then I worked 8 am to 5 pm and had a desk job, though, and only had myself to clean up after.

I am starting to lose weight and exercise nearly every day and am taking Vitamin B 12, feeling more energy so hopefully, that will translate to a cleaner house.
jannie
17 years ago
When I expect company, I need three days to get ready-one to clean, one to shop and one to cook. And, no, I don't like drop-ins!
linda_in_iowa
17 years ago
When I shared my home with other family members, it was always presentable. Now that I live alone, I don't keep house like I used to. I have been reading Flylady posts and today my kitchen is shiny clean. I am going to try to do better. When DS was here at Christmas and I had recently had foot surgery, he gave my whole house a very thorough vacuuming. Bless his heart.
lydia1959
17 years ago
I like notice before someone drops in. My house is usually presentable enough, although drop-in guests may find dog and cat hair around since I don't vacuum daily. If DD is home from college, the house is usually pretty cluttered. She isn't very good at keeping things picked up.

Cleaning exhausts me these days, so I don't do as good a job as I used to.
sable_ca
17 years ago
Perfect, Softball! LOL! Our LR and the bathrooms are in California, DR is in Utah, kitchen is in Denver but sometimes visits Cleveland, and the den and guest room are in Hoboken.

You have invented a new way to learn geography!
mrsmarv
17 years ago
"When I expect company, I need three days to get ready-one to clean, one to shop and one to cook. And, no, I don't like drop-ins!"

Ditto...we must be sisters from a different mother LOL.
barbara3
17 years ago
I forget - there was also another plaque that showed Mom's philosophy about drop-ins. It said, "We are at home every Sunday from 2 - 4 p.m. We hope you are the same."

My father took it down because he said it was rude and unwelcoming. Well, yeah!
cynic
17 years ago
carol_in_california & barbara3 said my thoughts. I've swung like a pendulum on it. I grew up with not great housekeeping and when I moved out I became a perfectionist, but rapidly transformed into a pig when my roommate quit helping and I wasn't going to do everything. When I moved on my own, it was perfect, then pigsty. Decluttered a lot when I bought the house and got back to perfect, then it got so bad I had little pathways to go through, then cleaned up tremendously and after reading a few books improved, started following a modified form of Flylady got pretty darn good and I was quite proud of myself. Then I got busted up. Things have gone downhill. I realize I can never again get back to even where I was 6 or 8 years ago, but I'm trying to at least undo some of the damage from over the years.

So, if people come to look at a Parade of Homes house, they've come to the wrong address. I try to keep the living room "presentable", and that's under the new definition. Hope to get the kitchen into reasonable shape in the next few months. If a long lost relative, or hmmm, maybe someone on the forum wants to put me in their Will???? I could then hire a housekeeper! :D

I've also thought, eh, just move and start over!
Happy_Go_Lucky_Gayle
17 years ago
Onk! Give me two weeks notice. I'm trying to Spring Clean. Working on clearing closets out.
susan_on
17 years ago
I prefer having notice for company, but I'm fine with people dropping by too. Its not because of the house though, it's closer to perfectionist than it is to pig. I've just always been that way. I put everything back where it belongs and do things right away. For example, I came home today and a bill had arrived and was on the counter, so I paid it by telebanking and filed it within ten minutes of being home-after petting the dogs and taking them out. Done, and off the counter. I do most things like that.

When my kids were small, we were very busy with activities, but we always cleaned up the toys before lunch, before nap, before dinner, before bed and before we went out anywhere. Because we did it all the time, it only ever took a couple of minutes. It was as routine as brushing teeth. The kids are now tidy, but not obsessive.

I've always worked, and did the housecleaning a little bit in the evenings, and on weekends. For the last few years I have a girl come in and clean, because I can't do it myself any more due to an MVA. But my kids were older by then.

I do things this way because I'm kind of lazy, and I never want to do a lot at once. Also, I have a tendency to procrastinate, so I have to force myself to keep good habits.

Now if you're talking about having a house look well decorated and "put together", I have a lot of room for improvement there. I do keep on procrastinating in that department.
Granlan_TX
17 years ago
I usually look worse than my house.

I also hate drop-ins and the word is out.

And like, Sue, I'd like a third choice. LOL
User
17 years ago
Dh and I didn't learn to put away after we used things when we were kids. I'm trying to learn now. My house isn't embarrassing in the public areas, but I wouldn't call it clean either. The boys are both messy and don't care. I have hope in dd. She will clean her room even if that means throwing everything out in the hallway so it's not messing up *her* room. Lol!
chubby_rat
17 years ago
Let's just say that if you can't call at least a day ahead....bring your own shovel with you!
caflowerluver
17 years ago
I am in between. Most of the time someone could stop bye and it wouldn't look too bad. Unless I have been busy on some project and let things go a little. Basically some days the place looks better then others, but I am not OCD about cleaning or picking up the place. I feel this is where we live, it is not a museum. DH is very nuts about having the place immaculate. He is a perfectionist to the extreme!
Clare
nan_nc
17 years ago
I have always leaned toward oinker. Some days are worse than others..then I'll get an urge and go on a cleaning spree! That only happens when DH is out of town for some reason..or at least gone for the entire day. Then I can relax for at least a few minutes and enjoy how nice everything looks, before he comes in tracking dirt, leaves, tiny gravel, drops his "stuff" on the kitchen table, and throws the newspaper he's finished with on the floor.

I just sigh and go back to reading my book, petting the fuzziest cat and getting white cathair all over the place.
marilyn_c
17 years ago
Granlan said: "I usually look worse than my house."

LOL!!!! That pretty much describes me!
Linda Wayman
17 years ago
I used to have a cleaner house than I do now. I've nicknamed my dh Bob the slob. I clean house more often than it looks like I do. Luther has dug some major holes in the back yard. That and the dirt paths he and Penny have made while playing causes a lot of extra mud or dust to find its way into our house. I was vacuuming everyday, but got tired of doing that. Now I just dust mop the floors every morning and dust the furniture a couple of times a week and it still looks like it needs to be done all the time. I just don't care.

Linda
mary_c_gw
17 years ago
My house is pretty clean, but if you come over without calling, I won't answer the door. I may not have vacuumed up the dog dust bunnies that happen every single day during shedding season.

But also, I work from home - and just the way you wouldn't get to come to my office and interrupt me, you don't get to assume that because I'm home, I'm just waiting for the pleasure of your company. Trust me, I'm not.

I hate drop-in company. You have a telephone. Call.

I'm not a perfectionist. Neither am I a pig. I still don't want anyone just dropping by.
Terri_PacNW
17 years ago
Come on over...Let's see right now you'll find 2 boys laundry on the love seat (#2 is the only one that moved it when I asked!) In front of the fire place is #2's socks he pulled off 20 minutes ago, and I see his pants there now too..that means he's around here somewhere in a tshirt and drawers! LOL
Yep he just came down the hall...ROFLMAO

One of the livingroom chairs has the tray that goes on the "big ottoman" in it with my beading box, a boys bicycle helmet and a shopping bag that needs to go back to the van.
But the floor is swept, I did that a few hours ago!

Kitchen is pretty clean too..and I wiped the bathroom down yesterday.

And the cookie jar has fresh baked chocolate chip cookies in it!

Oh wait, pants are back on the boy, socks disappeared as did his helmet. I like it when they listen and act so quickly...now to get the other two doing that...LOL
clubm
17 years ago
What's a little dust among friends.
marilyn_c
17 years ago
I should add, I like a call before hand because where I live, I have no close neighbors, and I am not always dressed "appropriately" for company...if at all.
joyfulguy
17 years ago
Somewhere west of IA ... would that be about KS? NE? I'm a bit hazy on U.S. geography.

o j
OklaMoni
17 years ago
I am neither. Just come on in. It doesn't matter what I am in the middle of, I love to see you. ;)

Moni
okwriter
17 years ago
I like time to at least clean the toilets. Other than that, I could care less. We keep things "picked up" but we aren't clean freaks...far from it. I've become really bad about letting dishes stack up in the kitchen sink for 2-3 days. I really should do better but---? Working from home, I am in my PJs most of the time. It doesn't bother me, so it shouldn't bother anyone else.
:-)

Also, we don't live in town, so we rarely have drop-ins.
chisue
17 years ago
I don't think I'm either of these two choices, and I know I don't keep house to please visitors.

I like an orderly home FOR ME! Fortunately, DH and I are on the same page about keeping things picked up. Now...he doesn't see beyond 'orderly' to 'needs vacuuming' or 'needs dusting' unless it gets very noticeable. I do see those things and either do them myself or ask him for a little help. He is ALWAYS agreeable and helpful -- and, since he is retired, available!

Sometimes 'messy' is a symptom of a house with too little storage space, or, as Spylady people say, someone who hasn't figured out that it's much easier to 'keep up' and too daunting to try to 'catch up' all at once.

My sinks are clean!
zeetera
17 years ago
I need three days' notice. I don't think I was meant to be a clean house keeper. Well, actually it's clean but untidy most of the time. I blame it on me having so many interests that are messy. :~)
jaybird
17 years ago
Our house is messy enough to be comfortable and clean enough to be safe. We love company, come on over!!

Perfectionist or pig?

Comments (39)

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