that made you shrink in terror, and every time you come there it is spotless, and there is a family of six living there?
How does she get and KEEP it clean do you wonder?
2007-09-08 13:44:10 · 10 answers · asked by Born Valentine's Day 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I had a friend who had three children, a husband and a spotless home, car, garage and life. She always looked her best and arrived on time where ever she went.
I carefully observed what she did and how she did it.
I discovered some amazing things--she always had her children remove their shoes at the door entrance.
She had mats at her entrances to wipe your shoes on--and used them. Although she never asks guests to take off their shoes.
She put away whatever she took out as soon as she was done with it. She had her children put away everything they used after they used it.
When things broke she threw them away and when things were no longer new she had a yearly garage sale.
She had a designated place for everything in her home. Each item in her home had a home of its own.
She did her dishes right after the meal. (No dishwasher either!) She wiped up spills as they occurred.
It didn't seem like much work. It was just the consistent follow-through of always putting away and cleaning up after herself and making sure her family did.
She did laundry and cleaning everyday but no more than three hours of her day was actually spent on meals, cleaning and laundry.
One evening when I was over right before her bedtime (she had a bedtime!) I even watched her set out bowls and breakfast cereal on the kitchen table so in the morning the kids only had to grab the milk so their morning would go more quickly! She even set out her clothes for the next day!
It amazed me. I would have eaten off the floor of her home--I'm sure it was always clean enough to do so.
I found a website that helps those of us who are organizationally and cleaning challenged--it helped me tremendously.
Check it out:
http://flylady.net/
Enjoy!
2007-09-08 14:25:56 · answer #1 · answered by steinbeck11 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
My step-dad and mom have one of those kinds of houses (hate bringing the kids by because of it), but of course, they are just two people that work together in keeping it clean.
I honestly can't name a single friend with young children who maintains a spotless house. When the kids are older, they can be 'coerced' ;-) into helping with chores and cleaning up after themselves, but unless they have a live-in full time maid, a house with young kids is impossible to keep clean.
In fact, it would almost be troublesome. If a parent of young children feels that maintaining a spotless home is a priority, you have to wonder when she spends time with the kids. Or maybe they're just never home ;-)
~Kyanna
A mother of four in a house with a 'lived in' feel :-)
2007-09-08 14:15:30 · answer #2 · answered by Kyanna S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, a friend of mine has 7 children and her house is spotless. She is obsessive-compulsive. She has a fairly new, large house and the living room, dining room and downstairs bathroom are off limits to her kids. When guests use the downstairs bathroom, she goes in right after them and wipes things down with Lysol. One of her kids got a spot of chocolate ice cream on her new wallpaper and when she washed it, it left the a tiny faded spot. She hired someone to wallpaper her whole kitchen over again just because of that! She is forever cleaning and if anyone dares to drop in on her, she won't let them in unless everything is perfect!
2007-09-08 14:34:43 · answer #3 · answered by jenna 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Childless friends of ours have a house that is so clean and shiny it is really unbelievable. The woman is obsessive. She goes so far as to rake up the leaves on her neighbours' lawns (both sides) because it bothers her to have the leaves blow onto her lawn.
She has had the same indorr wall-to-wall carpet for 25 years, not a single stain, spot, fray, nothing. She hand cleans it. Very weird.
2007-09-08 13:52:03 · answer #4 · answered by Pacifica 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes I have.
I can't relate. My house is tidy, and organized, but never pathetically clean. I have two teens - I simply close the door to their rooms. I just insist they respect the common areas by keeping them tidy for everyone else who lives here.
Either she's totally trained her very cooperative children to keep it immaculate at all times, or her whole life is spent keeping it that way.
I like it neat, but life it too short in my opinion to live my life for my home. It's where I live - but I can't get all obsessive about it.
2007-09-08 15:32:33 · answer #5 · answered by what's up? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I know someone like that and I always leave there feeling inept. That being said, I do believe it's a mental illness that keeps a person constantly cleaning up a house. Thankfully my "issues" tend to go in a different direction.
2007-09-08 22:16:02 · answer #6 · answered by DeborahDel 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sorry...all the houses I've been into were a mess.....even my boss house was a mess when I went there....I've never told my coworkers.
2007-09-08 14:38:42 · answer #7 · answered by Bibi 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes....I wish I could keep house that way...
I just have to much company.
2007-09-08 14:52:00 · answer #8 · answered by Mustbe 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Clean is good. More hygienic and pleasant to the eyes. She's good.
2007-09-09 05:09:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's troubling...and probably the type A-ness of it all will cause wrinkles.
2007-09-08 13:54:45 · answer #10 · answered by myemeraldruby 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋