Old style housekeeping question?

taplady

Thanks to all the posters on this thread :T - I have really enjoyed reading it, its fascinating to see how everyone lives(I'm nosey:D ) I'm with those who clean as they go and do little jobs in the ad breaks on tv plus do the bathroom when I'm in there. I do iron, not everything but quite a lot, luckily I dont mind doing it and would hate to be seen looking crumply;)
I clean quite a lot and my house is still no show home - 2 dogs and 3 men:rolleyes: but I also find plenty of time to read - I just love my books. I dont like clutter but DH is a bit messy so I'm fighting a losing battle most of the time and I also have a quick tidy up before bed.
I loved the poem Penguin83:T

MrsE_2

Primrose wrote: »

We once shared a holiday villa with some friends in Spain. Every day they insisted on washing/ ironing their T shirts and shorts before we started the day's activities, even if it was just lounging by the pool. When they saw I wasn't ironing ours they offered to do them because they said it looked "scruffy" going out without ironing everything first. I had visions of them returning home and complaining to all their friends about the "sluts" they had holidayed with but there was no way I was going to spend hundreds of pounds on a precious holiday and then spend most of it ironing.

I make sure everything is ironed before I go & rolled rather than folded & then hung up as soon as you get there.
I rarely use the travel iron.

Penelope_Penguin

MrsE wrote: »

I like things of good quality. Me too :T

SO I buy stuff thats chunky & durable - I hate delicate bits that are just waiting to fall or break. Therefor I believe people can feel comfortable in my home, its not a home where anything you touch breaks or looks like it will. But I wouldn't feel comfortable, as I feel that just by being there I'm ruining the "perfect show-house"

I ask that people take their shoes off (pale flooring) & use my coasters & mats for cups/glasses & plates (wood dining & coffee table), but thats about it. I take dirty stuff out after they have used it & I will load the dishwasher while they are here.
But I wait till they go before I clean up.

Lets not forget its my home & my familes home & we will live in it as we see fit & what makes us comfortable, not lower what we see as our lifestyle standards for visitors.

I don't feel I'm "lowering my standards" - they're my guests, and their comfort is far more important than a neat and tidy "show-house" which however you dress them, will never feel like "homes" to me

I'll bow out of this discussion now, in the knowledge that my friends come to visit me, not for how beautiful my home is, but because they're after a slice of what is reputed to be the best chocolate cake this side of the Pennines :rotfl:

Penny. x

cbsexec

I've just read this thread - great reading

I agree that years ago most people did not have as many "things" as we do now and did not buy just for the sake of it therefore less clutter & mess. Also children were sent to play outside more and I remember being sent to buy the days groceries everyday (fresh meat, veg etc)

I also do not iron much (I used to) I find that it is easier to iron when you need it and if it needs it - many things if folded when dry and but away do not need ironing - a great relief!!

lilac_lady

I'm a tidy person (till you open drawers and cupboards!). I can't relax in the middle of a mess so I tidy up as I go along. If my living room and kitchen are tidy when visitors arrive, I don't care how untidy my house becomes while they're here. My grandchildren get to drag out toys, books and craft work and as long as they don't deliberately do any damage I'm fine with the temporary mess.

I don't like "twiddly" ornaments so I don't have to put many things out of reach when the little dragons are here. I remember my son telling me that one of his schoolfriends wasn't allowed to eat a biscuit in the house - he had to take it out to the garden!

I clear up after visitors leave and heave a sigh of relief that I'm in my tidy zone again. I hope I'm semi-normal!

Gigervamp

MrsE wrote: »

I ask that people take their shoes off (pale flooring)

Now that would make me feel really uncomfortable. And what if your guest suffers from smelly feet? My dad had that problem and the stink from his feet would fill the room!

MrsE_2

Gigervamp wrote: »

Now that would make me feel really uncomfortable. And what if your guest suffers from smelly feet? My dad had that problem and the stink from his feet would fill the room!

Send them up to the bathroom to wash their feet (I've never done this but DH has).

I think its fairly common to remove shoes before you tread on soft flooring & rugs, I wouldn't dream of walking over someones carpets in shoes I had worn outside.

MrsE_2

[quote=Penelope_Penguin;19995893]I don't feel I'm "lowering my standards" - they're my guests, and their comfort is far more important than a neat and tidy "show-house" which however you dress them, will never feel like "homes" to me

I'll bow out of this discussion now, in the knowledge that my friends come to visit me, not for how beautiful my home is, but because they're after a slice of what is reputed to be the best chocolate cake this side of the Pennines :D :rotfl:

Penny. x[/quote]

But what you fail to understand (& I do totally understand your point of view), To "me" a neat & tidy & pleasing to the eye show-home is what does feel like home to "me".

It would be a boring world if we all had the same views.

I am happy with you having a different opinion of what you like & makes you comfortable without making little "remarks". It would be nice if you could do likewise.

I don't for one minute suggest that anyone is wrong/odd (or otherwise) for having their home a different way to my.

rachbc

seriously - you'd ask guests in your house to wash their feet? I do take my shoes off in other peoples house and my own because I prefer bare/ socked feet but would NEVER insist anyone did anything but relax and feel at home in my house - bare feet, smelly feet or shoes!

My house is clean enough not to get sick and comfortably tidy - I put away toys at the end of the day in a big basket but thats cos its part of reclaiming my 'adult space' but during the day the kids can have what they want out - and today thats purple play dough in the living room (and yes, I have cream carpets)

MrsE_2

rachbc wrote: »

seriously - you'd ask guests in your house to wash their feet?

I've never asked anyone to wash their feet