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[AuntG]

If I were to grade myself, I'm a solid B. Siblings range from A to F so I see myself as perfect (joking). Footprints in the carpet don't bother me, nor do the puzzle pieces all over my kitchen table. Our house is always presentable, and I make a practice to vacuum, dust, Swiffer and clean the main bathroom each morning. DH makes the bed, does the dishes and wipes down the counters. Our overall investment is about a half hour each day. Naturally, we do deep cleaning in March, November, and January when the Christmas decorations come down.

[Lali1]

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

For anyone that has animals, it is impossible to have a spotless home at all times.  We have two furry dogs who manufacture hair.  Always thought I could make a fortune if there were a way to turn their hair into cash.

I am not a particularly neat person.  I clean up after myself.  But as far as everything being clean all the time, not so much.  I don't want to spend all my time cleaning and I am not married to my house.  I clean when I want to and/or when it really needs to be done.  I also do not want to be the person who stresses when something is out of place.  Life it too short for that.  A woman I used to know told me that she could not fall asleep one night because her salt shaker was still on the kitchen table instead of back in the cupboard.  First of all, mine is always on the table, and secondly, that kind of OCD is not healthy in my opinion.  

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Everytime I see the home pics that people comment on I kinda sink a little. I have 2 dogs less than two years old and I wonder if I'll ever have a neat tidy house again. They make such a mess. They get dirty feet then get everything dirty. The baseboards, the floors, the walls and of course all soft surfaces. Then there's the fur that is a constant struggle to keep off the floors and everywhere else. I also have a neighbor like you describe. She drives herself and her family nuts trying to keep a perfect house. 

[Mominohio]

My mother and my grandmother were both very strict housekeepers. They were not only neat and tidy, they were master cleaners, and their homes didn't see dust and dirt settle anywhere. 

I pretty much followed in their footsteps. 

I prefer a not only clean environment, but a very organized and neat one as well. 

[ninjawife]

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@LindaSal wrote:

I have always been a neat freak.  When we were kids my sister and I shared a room with twin beds.  My bed was made up neatly everyday and hers was a disaster.  Pretty funny because when I go to her house her bed is still unmade and messy!!  Some things never change.   At 5years old my children made their beds every morning and their room was always picked up..........fast forward to their own homes, they seem to have shifted to their aunts way of living, oh well I did my best....LOL.

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@LindaSal I am a very neat and organized person but I never make my bed!

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

It is just DD and I.  We both pick up after ourselves so things don't pile up. 

Growing up our house was always picked up and clean. Mom was always doing something but the real cleaning blackbelt went to my Dad's Mother. 

The phrase "you could eat off the floor" described my Grandmother. Heck, you could do surgery on her floor and not worry about infection.  Maybe that's why she was always had a miserable disposition. She shook her dustmop outside at night so the neighbors couldn't see any dust. Ha, dust was scared spitless of Gram.

[Puppy Lips]

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@Lali1 wrote:

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

For anyone that has animals, it is impossible to have a spotless home at all times.  We have two furry dogs who manufacture hair.  Always thought I could make a fortune if there were a way to turn their hair into cash.

I am not a particularly neat person.  I clean up after myself.  But as far as everything being clean all the time, not so much.  I don't want to spend all my time cleaning and I am not married to my house.  I clean when I want to and/or when it really needs to be done.  I also do not want to be the person who stresses when something is out of place.  Life it too short for that.  A woman I used to know told me that she could not fall asleep one night because her salt shaker was still on the kitchen table instead of back in the cupboard.  First of all, mine is always on the table, and secondly, that kind of OCD is not healthy in my opinion.  

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Everytime I see the home pics that people comment on I kinda sink a little. I have 2 dogs less than two years old and I wonder if I'll ever have a neat tidy house again. They make such a mess. They get dirty feet then get everything dirty. The baseboards, the floors, the walls and of course all soft surfaces. Then there's the fur that is a constant struggle to keep off the floors and everywhere else. I also have a neighbor like you describe. She drives herself and her family nuts trying to keep a perfect house. 

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@Lali1 I would much rather visit your home than that of your neighbors!  Hopefully when your dogs get a bit older, they will calm down a bit so you can keep up with them.  If not, so be it. Dogs are a blessing and I will never be without one.  My dogs give me so much comfort, joy, and companionship.  They are always there for me to hug, pet, and kiss and they are so happy when we get home. Doing a bit of extra cleaning and vacuuming is a small price to pay for what they give to me.

[Lali1]

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

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@Lali1 wrote:

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

For anyone that has animals, it is impossible to have a spotless home at all times.  We have two furry dogs who manufacture hair.  Always thought I could make a fortune if there were a way to turn their hair into cash.

I am not a particularly neat person.  I clean up after myself.  But as far as everything being clean all the time, not so much.  I don't want to spend all my time cleaning and I am not married to my house.  I clean when I want to and/or when it really needs to be done.  I also do not want to be the person who stresses when something is out of place.  Life it too short for that.  A woman I used to know told me that she could not fall asleep one night because her salt shaker was still on the kitchen table instead of back in the cupboard.  First of all, mine is always on the table, and secondly, that kind of OCD is not healthy in my opinion.  

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Everytime I see the home pics that people comment on I kinda sink a little. I have 2 dogs less than two years old and I wonder if I'll ever have a neat tidy house again. They make such a mess. They get dirty feet then get everything dirty. The baseboards, the floors, the walls and of course all soft surfaces. Then there's the fur that is a constant struggle to keep off the floors and everywhere else. I also have a neighbor like you describe. She drives herself and her family nuts trying to keep a perfect house. 

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@Lali1 I would much rather visit your home than that of your neighbors!  Hopefully when your dogs get a bit older, they will calm down a bit so you can keep up with them.  If not, so be it. Dogs are a blessing and I will never be without one.  My dogs give me so much comfort, joy, and companionship.  They are always there for me to hug, pet, and kiss and they are so happy when we get home. Doing a bit of extra cleaning and vacuuming is a small price to pay for what they give to me.

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Thank you for the sweet comment. I adore my dogs and agree they give me so much. I just feel a little weird when I see such lovely homes and mine is typically in complete chaos. 

[occasionalrain]

I grew up in a big house where friends gathered, clean but not tidy. It was warm and welcoming; no one was required to remove their shoe and books were everywhere.

My bedroom was business, my mother left it up to me to decide on it's condition. We had a family dog and I had a cat. 

My house today is clean, no one is required to remove their shoes and books are everywhere. 

[Grand Happy]

I'm very neat and tidy, but very cozy so I'll be told by family and friends that visit. Thank goodness my husband is also and happy to see our son is!!
I am very uncomfortable in a dirty home, I don't get when we have been to siblings home and the kitchen trash is climbing the walls or you're picking dog hair out of your food BARF! Never ate there again!!

[jeanlake]

Military dad, so I grew up with shared home areas in a tidy, minimalist place. Dad kept his garage and cars spotless. Shared bedroom with sloppy sis so when she married, I painted and re-organized bedroom. I was thrilled. Sis turned a corner when she married a former navy guy. He spent their first 10 years picking up after her and only agreed to move into a fabulous lakehome if she worked on her organization skills. She kept her word. They have a lovely home - always tidy. Hubs' grew up in home where mom did everything for him. We've turned that around, but he's still got the sloppy gene.