My house has to be perfect. Does anyone else feel this way?

Question

I spend soooo much time cleaning/organizing that I don't have time for anything else.

Answer 1

I'm with Clyde LMAO! If I make it from room to room without stepping on something fragile or disgusting, I figure it's been a successful day ;) J/K, I'm not that bad, but with 2 young kids I really just make sure the house is clean as opposed to uncluttered!

Answer 2

I wish I could calm down about the same issue. I have trouble concentrating on the work I do in my home office if any part of the house is messy. The most effective thing I've done to make this part of my life easier is to throw out/donate to charity anything that was just taking up space in the house. The less stuff, the less mess, the less organizing and cleaning needed.

Sometimes I look at the Squalor Survivors website, which is maintained by some folks who have triumphed over real, major messes. It helps me put my readily-distorted ideas about what comprises a mess in perspective.

Answer 3

I like my house neat and clean. Having it that way makes me happy and comfortable. But I don't spend all my time on it. It sounds like you have symptoms of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). I know, because I have it. There was a time when I was late for work and important appointments because my house had to be just so. I take an anti-depressant now, because anti-depressants also work on OCD. I still love a clean house but am not as obsessive about it. You should talk to your medical doctor about this. Your doctor can either prescribe something or if this is not in his or her field of expertise, your doctor can refer you to someone else. Don't be afraid of taking this type of medication. It doesn't make you high or loopy, it just "normalizes' you, in a way. And it's no more dangerous than what we breath and ingest everyday. You probably have other symptoms that you've always thought just made you weird. Counting is one; Do you feel the need to count things repeatedly? Do you feel you must do a certain task a certain way, or else you feel uncomfortable or feel that something bad will happen if you don't? These and many other repetitive type things we do with our brains can be symptoms of OCD.

Answer 4

I am this way. But it is never perfect, just clean and organized and picked up.
I've learned to relax a bit by taking on jobs for other people, cleaning their houses. Makes some money and I get to clean someone elses dirt once in a while.
Accomplishment is what this is all about...When you clean you feel you have accomplished something.

Answer 5

The 12-step programs have a little saying...Progress, not Perfection. I used to be a perfectionist, but learned that's a sure-fire way to be constantly disappointed in life. After all, who or what is perfect? I learned to decide when a task is done "well enough" and let it go at that.

Of course, well enough depends on how important the task is. When cleaning something, it's not quite so important as parenting a child or relating with a spouse or other loved one.

We need to have clear priorities about what's important and be mindful of when a task has been done well enough so that we can have the time and energy left to experience the truly important things in life.

Answer 6

No time for anything else...? Well I think thats a bit too much cleaning. Chill out, and keep some time for other activities, or your life will pass by and you'll forget what else is happening outside your house.

Keep your house tidy, in small ways - clear dinner plates after eating, when you see a mess tidy it up, if you spill something wipe it up straight away, etc etc, but don't spend every minute of the day obssessing over it!

Answer 7

Yes I am the same way Im always walking around looking for something to clean, my house is spotless and my husband is just as bad as I am..I clean homes for a living so between work and my own house Im always cleaning thank god I like to clean lol..

Answer 8

I am a A++++ personality too
you can come over anytime and my house is PERFECT
I have cut down to cleaning and organizing one day a week and am still happy with the results
( but then,. I chose to live alone because of the neatness factor)

Answer 9

Hunny, that's called either obsessive compulsive, being a perfectionist, or anal...and I suppose I'm all three....not only clean, but my clothes, towels, etc must be folded exactly so, and I even go so far as to color code my hangers in the closet.....but my old never married brother is the worst....that's why he's never married....he straightens the fringe on on oriental rug in his home every day!! Now that's perfection!

Answer 10

yes!!! but I usually do all my housework right after I drop off my daughter at school. house is 3041 sq. ft. and it does not take me long anymore, if you keep up with a routine, it should not take you all day. I am done in 2 hours. bedrooms first, make beds straighten and dust dressers. put away clean clothes. library, just pick up books daughter read after breakfast. dust room.
kitchen, put dirty dishes in dishwasher, clean counters, put things away, dining room, clean table from breakfast, dust furniture, living and family rooms : put things away and dust furniture. my office, clean desk and put away book materials. bathroom are last, (have 3), clean sinks, mirrors, make sure toilet paper is over and has a point, clean toilets. empty all garbages, take out recycleables, throw in laundry, while laundry is going, Clean floors, have all hardwoods and use wet swiffer every day and wash with soapy water one a week on hands and knees with a sponge and then make sure they are dry so there are no streaks and water is not sitting on the wood. done in 2 hours and have the rest of the day to just put away clean laundry and relax.