Is it possible for a house to be too tidy?

Each to his own, as they say, but I agree with you in that I prefer places to look lived in. I have a friend coming to visit soon and despite the fact that they don’t stay here, I’ve been frantically cleaning! Mine could never be described as a show house, though…

Since I've taken early retirement my DH has complained on numerous occasions that I clean too much, cheek of him. X

Not for me. Tidier the better. Doesn't half save time on my annual dust.

It's a matter of personal taste and balance I think. I have loads of books, one complete wall of floor to ceiling book shelves and many house plants, some 'artistically' growing down from top of said book cases, but I have no ornaments, can't stand them. Coffee table is never clear, but the magazines and books are neatly stacked. I dislike housework, but perversely like a clean house. I once had a friend who was obsessive about getting jobs done on the right day, this included coming in to the spare room where I had stayed overnight, by invitation, and asking if I would mind getting up ( 8am) as this was her day for stripping the spare bed, including mattress cover!

My home is clean but not particularly tidy. Around the house, we've got photos of the family, especially of grandchildren and pets. I've got ornaments (all cat-related) that people have bought me for birthdays, etc. We've got an ottoman full of children's board games, a box full of children's books, as well as a dozen cat toys (he doesn't often play with them though!).

I couldn't live in a place that was spotless.

He s only just moved- give him time and his papers will accumulate, his glasses ,pills ,tv remote ,phone etc will all have moved to within arm s reach! This happened to my brother in law when he moved after his wife sadly died. He does nt cook so the kitchen stays tidy.

I'm like Alioop . Many here would consider my kitchen bare, but it was designed that way so that it could be cleaned quickly and easily. Nothing sits around collecting dust and grease and I don't have to keep moving things around to clean work surfaces or make space to cook. I know where everything is and it makes life easier than in my old kitchen. Each to their own.

Are tidy and clean necessarily synonymous? When my lovely Mum despaired of my lack of the domestic airts, she pleaded with me to keep my place tidy as 'it gives the impression of clean'. There y'go.

I have friends who have 2 houses, one a lovely bungalow full of nice pictures, cushions on lovely old chairs you sink into, nice ornaments that suit the property. The other place they have is brand new, open plan, lots of glass and kept pristine with modern furniture that is so uncomfortable to sit on. The cushions are fashionably expensive so you are afraid to crease them. Very few paintings as they have these huge radiators. When we visit them there we can't wait to leave, whereas at the bungalow we need to be forced out.

‘Pristine and elegant’ sounds perfect. My DH and I are serial tidiers and we love to have our house looking elegant. We find a lack of clutter very calming. Indeed, mess upsets me.

When I first moved into a new place on my own I made it very minimal. No plants, no ornaments and few books. It always looked very tidy.
Many years later there are photos of GCs on every window sill. My books are taking over and every space is filled.

I admire clean, clutter free homes and enjoy looking at minimalist properties but I wouldn't want to live in one. I do clean thoroughly daily but with two dogs and a cat ( plus husband) that is a necessity. I love having my books around and family photos. I have packed up some china collections so I don't have to clean them.

Are tidy and clean necessarily synonymous?

Absolutely not. But for those who want to clean it makes life a lot easier. Someone I know who is very minimalist hardly cleans at all. She doesn't seem to see dust. I don't mind her light and airy house but I do mind the dust. It makes me sniffle and sneeze as OH and I both suffer from perennial rhinitis.

Amberone, your contribution made me smile with a very ancient happy memory of a dinner party for friends my husband and I were hosting. One of the ladies developed the most awfully watering eyes. In the course of trying to help, I asked her if there was anything she was allergic to. She spontaneously answered 'only dust' and immediately looked mortified. We were all friends and I simply managed to say something off the cuff like 'Oh well, you've definitely come to the wrong house then!' Cheek and jollity ensued and no harm was done but we've all never forgotten the incident. Good times indeed.

sounds lovely to me too, I wish I had the nerve to declutter everything and have clean lines. I tried in one room when I decorated it, but kept putting stuff back on the walls again. I am now back to where I was. Very hard to get rid of materialistic clutter that have memories for you.

One of my children told me that her friend's parents had retired, sold the family house, got rid of almost all of their posessions and moved to a penthouse apartment overlooking a marina which they furnished with a few items of stylish furniture to achieve a minimalist look.

I've always wanted to find out how they were living ten years on.

My ex sis in law never had anything other than her kettle out on her kitchen worktops, no ornaments or pictures anywhere in the house. No extra bits of furniture etc.

I'm not a fan of ornaments or photos about the place. I look now at my mums collections which are still on shelves and in cabinets at my dads place, collecting dust. I think to myself one day I'm going to have to turf all that lot out. He has already thinned it down a bit, but still lots to go and his health is no longer good so he cannot clear much more.

I have a couple things that I keep because my boys gave them to me but wouldn't buy any such things for myself. Wouldn't want to leave that task of clearing for someone to worry about.
I dread having to sort out my OH stuff if he goes before me, he still collects things that nobody will ever want!

A clutter free house sounds lovely.

Sounds like he’s done his family a favour and de-cluttered before moving ... cathartic. Who needs books apart from the ones being read ? Plants are no good if he is away a lot - or doesn’t like indoor plants . I’ve been to too many houses where the exact opposite is seen and it’s a nightmare eventually ...!! .

I wonder if the elderly gent is trying to keep a lid on his emotions, and fears that if he starts filling his new space with photographs and mementoes it will emphasise who and what he has lost.

Kim19 Sadly that would be me ?

I don't think men have the same flair as women to make a house homely. Hence bachelors in minimalist chrome and glass apartments.

I so wish I could be like this. DH says if I lived in Buckingham Palace I would fill it and he’s right.

Late to the party again, sorry. I have a friend whose house is exactly like a show home, everything carefully curated and perfectly placed, including me last time I visited!

There is absolutely nothing on the kitchen work surfaces, all looks very bare and unwelcoming.

I like a happy medium, things around to make it homely but not completely cluttered everywhere. I am just trying to declutter!!!