House proud people

Squiffy??

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Forgot I have these up on the walls, probably forgotten because I don't dust them....

Remember that dusting is no more than moving dirt from one place to another??

My mother had never had to clean a house herself until her 60s. She never learnt how! I do as little as possible - my main bugbear is a hairy dog. However I do have a blitz if people come round.
My philosophy is that no matter how much you clean, it just gets dirty again!

My mother, when hearing people who spent most of their time cleaning and she did have one daughter (out of four) whom we called 'the Queen of Clean', would say:

Which would you rather have on your gravestone?

'I didn't have enough time to clean my house.'

Or

'I didn't have enough time with my family and friends."

Just for the record, being a kindly soul, she only said the above to us. Another saying of hers was 'Each to their own.'

I'm firmly in the camp of finding far more interesting things to do than housework, and in any case living with 3 other adults, all very untidy messy beings, there's no point in wasting my time, energy or life putting the house to rights behind them.
I also firmly believe that it's peoples own business what they do with their own homes, be it comfortable clutter or pristine cleanliness. My sister-in-law used to do the checking for dust, and making rude comments and luckily we fell out years ago (not over that), so I ceased worrying about her unannounced visits.
To OP, I'd just ignore them, but if they are persistent in their judgemental comments, I'd gently tell them what to do with their opinions!

I just know when I take my last breath on this earth I will not think “I should have cleaned more”

I also hate housework. It is s thankless waste of time. My mother was obsessed with spring, summer, autumn and winter cleaning. When I was young we didn't get to celebrate Christmas because she had the whole family washing and polishing , in her words " because you never knew who would be here at New Year.".

I am lucky enough to have a cleaner. She does two hours, I do two hours and that is quite enough housework for the week.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste on housework!

Take absolutely no notice and spend your time on enjoyable things x

I'd tell them old people who avoid living it up die sooner, and I wouldn't have time to make sure the coffins are clean!!
But I'm a bad lass. ??

My mother used to say about whether your house was sparkling: people who notice don't matter and people who matter don't notice! She would always rather read a book to us when we were little, and read a book to herself when we were grown up, than wash the kitchen floor!

I am not sure why you discuss it, just change the subject

Your home, your standards, their home their standards, should be as simple as that.
Mine is clean enough for me.

Thank goodness it's not just me. I feel quite guilty and even more so that I've had the last 18 months to tidy so it should be immaculate but isn't - I'm on my own and sometimes it's hard to get motivated when all days roll into one.
I do tend to hoard -although not as bad as some shown on TV - but do find it hard to get rid and have too much stuff.
I have friends who have houses that are immaculate and other friends who are like mine - or maybe a bit worse.
I don't get many visitors anyway, never mind at the moment, but I worry if someone has to come in they'll think it's a mess and whoever has to come in and clear it when my time comes as I've got no family to do it.
I clean as and when necessary. Life is too short but why should you feel guilty that your house isn't like a showroom (I think ads have a lot to answer to as rooms they show always seem big and minimalistic - whereas I do like my bits and pieces which are dust gatherers.
My ex once commented on the dust (he didn't bother cleaning it and I worked full time) so I bought him a fridge magnet that said:
"You can admire the dust but please don't write in it".
My Mum used to iron socks, knickers everything _ I honestly can't remember the last time I ironed as I've not really been anywhere so it doesn't matter.

I have one friend (I’ve spoken to GN about her before) whose house is always perfect, to the extent that I dread her visiting me unless I have prior warning. My house is clean enough to be hygienic but very much a home and lived in. It is rarely completely dust-free and housework only gets done on days when I have nothing better to do.

I always to get rid of any guilt feelings by thinking what a favour I was doing visitors, who would go home feeling really good about the state of their own houses.

Life’s to short to peel a grape and that applies to housework
The dust will be there when your gone, just do what you want to do when you want. I have just wizzed round with the vacuuming cleaner, clean the bathroom done the beds.
Kitchen can wait till tomorrow after all I gave it a good going over Monday.
My sis-in-law hobby is cleaning everyday, must be so boring.

Germanshepherdsmum

I loathe housework and find any excuse to do something else. As and when really necessary is fine by me so long as basic hygiene is observed. I know someone who seems to spend her life cleaning despite living alone, what she thinks of me I shudder to think. Lockdown was a godsend, no unexpected visitors! Some healthy posts on here I think - I won’t be lying on my deathbed thinking I really should have dusted more often.

Absolutely about Lockdown! Plus, we have our grandchildren after school for a few times a week and the toddler for 2 whole days so I have very little time for my garden, my allotment ( which means meals are cooked from scratch) or any other hobbies ( sewing, knitting etc), let alone doing something I don't feel the need for, like housework.
I was a teacher ( !!! ) and had no time for housework then so now ( as from 20-03-2020 ) I want to use MY time as I please! In fact, during Lockdown, we did not even have the children

With you on this! Sums up my attitude too although bizarrely when certain people come round I go crazy making it look ‘perfect’ even whilst knowing this is ridiculous!

I need to have clean clothes and be clean myself. Bathroom and kitchen are cleaned but when it comes to dusting and such like it can wait until it annoys me before it gets done. I am a widow and live alone so can leave books and different things that are being done at various times as they are. I have a very bad back and so it is more of a matter of being able to reach things I need rather than they are looking tidy. What energy I have is for more interesting things.

My Granga e me good advice many moons ago The hoose will be here when you're no ie don't live to do housework

I expect all those cleaning devotees in your family are of a previous generation where it was expected that the main part of a woman's day was spent cleaning the house - many didn't go out to work after they either got married or started a family!
I personally never feel comfortable in a house that is "minimalist" with absolutely no ornaments etc and everything absolutely spotless. I prefer my home to look lived in , as long as it looks clean!

Deedaa

As long as my house is free from fleas, mice and any other "things", no one has been poisoned and we all have clean clothes to go out in I'm really not that bothered. My main argument about house work is that you can spend hours forensically cleaning and nobody will even notice.

Great attitude and made me smile !!

Too much cleaning leaves nothing behind for your immune system to practice against. When I was young (a long time ago) we played in the dirt and then went in to eat our sandwiches or you'd share bottles of pop with your mates. Nobody got ill. Simples. My favourite fridge magnet says " My house was clean last week. Sorry you missed it."

etheltbags1

I’m so with you !!!

There’s a great poem that my cousins read at my Aunts funeral, she was an Artist and avid gardener and spent little time on housework !! Poem is called “Dust if you must” Read it, it’s fab !