I majorly gave up on housekeeping a while back. I am less fuck-it than I was, but still - well, I'm really proud of myself for letting my parents come over a couple of weeks ago. I didn't apologize for the state of my house or yard and they didn't comment. Big win.

Argh, msbelle. Dang it.

Mom commented about my dusty floor a couple weeks ago when she visited, but I countered by pointing to the clean litterbox that had been recently swept around, and the two rambunctious cats whose war on my snapdragons was self-evident. (And graciously opted NOT to show her my nigh-sparkling toilet bowl and invite a comparison that wouldn't favor her.) I concentrate on cleaning filth, dust and clutter I can live with.

Did you hand off the kittens, Matt?

OF COURSE THEY ARE!!!

Of course they are.

Basically, I resent that everything doesn't magically stay clean, I guess.

Wrod. Dishes need to be clean so that you can use them again and not poison yourself. Clothes need to be cleaned so they don't small and to get rid of stains. But tidying a table beyond making room to do something on/with that table seems counter productive, because that stuff is there for a reason, and it's all just going to get moved around again anyway. That sock on the floor can stay there till it's time to gather the laundry for cleaning. Those clean clothes can stay in that basket until you need to wear them.

Side benefit: fussy people you don't like won't come to your house because they're horrified. People who like you go "I love your house, there's always something to discover!"

My problem is I really love having a neat and organized house. I just hate doing it.

Did you hand off the kittens, Matt?

Nope, still have them. He has my phone number now, so I don't know it it's second thoughts, objections from the Mrs., or just massive disorganization. I'm fine with keeping them for now, but if I sink money into vet bills they're mine for good.

I am a slattern, but I came by it honestly. My mom was not a housecleaner, nor are my sisters. My mom raised me to hire someone to come clean the house.

Cleaning overwhelms me. I'm compulsively tidy, but unless it's something that gets noticeable immediate results, like vacuuming, I hate it. I hate dusting, when it feels like you're just moving the dust around.

Amy, let us trade. I loathe anything floor related. But I can dust.

Living so near Mom has improved my general tidiness. Really, with thirty minutes (and the blessings that shutting a dishwasher full of dirty dishes offers), I can make it clean enough for a majority of people. But my stepmom and ex-aunt-in-law in the area a few days ago? We met at a restaurant for a lovely lunch. Because no way was I cleaning to that level. I don't think it's even possible. I do appreciate that I default to one level up from where I kept my place in Portland with Mom around though. Even if my floors really need all the attention.

I need my floors to be pretty clean. And dishes done. Luckily, I don't mind vacuuming and mopping and I don't find dishes onerous. But clutter, oh god, I need to have no flat surfaces on which things can accumulate. I do a bucket-shove cleaning (put a bucket at the edge of the table, shove everything into the bucket. Anything removed from bucket must find a home) every so often, but...

Don't even want to talk about dusting.