crisis cleaning - what jobs are most important?

budgetboo

vinegar instead of fabric conditioner is wonderful for getting line dried towels "fluffy". Give em a brisk rub too as you walk past the line occasionally when they are drying.

BitterAndTwisted

Artichoke I definitely know the sinking feeling you're having as I used to have it when my mother used to pop round at short notice BUT I suspect that you might be over-thinking all of this. Most people, even if they have very, very different standards of housekeeping in their own homes do not often judge others by those same standards. You sound like you live a really busy life with all that livestock and kids too, so I reckon if your MIL was aghast at your housekeeping she wouldn't have invited herself round in the first place. Still, if she becomes that bothered she can flipping-well muck in and get scrubbing herself!

As long as the kitchen and bathroom don't look like you could catch something fatal in there I think you'll be fine.

lilac_lady

Have clean sinks and toilets, clean towels and bed linen, clean dishes and cutlery - anything you can do after that is a bonus.

CFC

lilac_lady wrote: »

Have clean sinks and toilets, clean towels and bed linen, clean dishes and cutlery - anything you can do after that is a bonus.

Truth! +1 here!

donny-gal

Well I would just be honest with my MIL, and say I have done as much as I can but I do find it hard to fit everything in, and mine would have picked up a duster if anything needed dusting, took over tea making and washing up, and given me a hug - they are not all to be feared. DG

Pitlanepiglet

B

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Artichoke I definitely know the sinking feeling you're having as I used to have it when my mother used to pop round at short notice BUT I suspect that you might be over-thinking all of this. Most people, even if they have very, very different standards of housekeeping in their own homes do not often judge others by those same standards. You sound like you live a really busy life with all that livestock and kids too, so I reckon if your MIL was aghast at your housekeeping she wouldn't have invited herself round in the first place. Still, if she becomes that bothered she can flipping-well muck in and get scrubbing herself!

As long as the kitchen and bathroom don't look like you could catch something fatal in there I think you'll be fine.

I agree with this! Your house sounds lovely, I lust after an old aga!

Relax, let her take you as she finds you or you'll spend the rest of your life putting on an act.

Your kids are little enjoy them while you can and stuff someone else's idea of perfection

Sambucus_Nigra

Art - if your MIL didn't like the way you lived; it would be a shorter visit or she would stay in a B&B. Get a white board, put up a 'house to-do list' on it and make sure some jobs are still on there when she arrives and you might just get some help without you even having to ask her.

artichoke

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Art - if your MIL didn't like the way you lived; it would be a shorter visit or she would stay in a B&B. Get a white board, put up a 'house to-do list' on it and make sure some jobs are still on there when she arrives and you might just get some help without you even having to ask her.

well - the above is very true as for the past 5 years - we have mainly visted her rather than her coming up here - she is not really a countryside person - and when she has come up here she has always stayed next door which is a holiday cottage (not owned by us) but the holiday cottage is booked up and we have said we will not be able to travel to see her this year (we can now only go in school holidays, Easter is lambing time, may half term we have my family event and summer we are busy with the pigs this year (first time we have had pigs)..

so usually she does not visit and when she does she stays in a b and b. She finds seeing the animals upsetting as she is vegetarian.

Re the to do list - i have an A4 morning routine and A4 evening routine that i do EVERY day so they will be stuck on the wall as usual.. and i have the flylady list printed out from the previous week (which i attempt every week) so she can see that i do try...

i think i am getting in a state about this as we have such different lives....i used to be a teacher in the city where she lives and she does not understand why we gave up the riches of the city for what i think she seems a hovel and a mud pit:o

right off to attack the bathroom whilst the kids are having a lego session - they are making up some amazing game and have told me to go away...

right lets see what i can achieve in the bathroom.... if i clean and make sweet smelling and then put fresh daffadoils in every room it should look and smell chearfull

art

sonnythecat

Artichoke - your house sounds lovely and you sound like you've got a lot on your plate. Pour yourself a gin and tonic and stop fretting. MIL can like it or lump it.xxxxxxxxxxx;)

chris_n_tj

Sod the MIL art just tell me when I can visit, you sound lovely as does your home. When I go visiting I visit the person not the place, who cares if its untidy and whats a bit of dust between friends x.