13yo DS wants to know: Why DO we clean house for company?

[Barb D]

We were cleaning house this morning getting ready for guests this evening. We had never met the guests before: it was a future classmate of 4yo DD and her mother.

So 13yo DS wanted to know, "Why are we trying to impress these people?"

The last time we were cleaning before guests came he asked, "Isn't this kind of dishonest [making it look like our house is always this clean?]"

I don't think it was JUST that he was trying to get out of work, although that may have been part of it. He was being philosophical.

So what do you think? Why DO we clean house before guests arrive?

BTW, he didn't get out of cleaning, and DD and her new friend had a delightful time getting to know each other.

 

[Serena]

Because that's what my mommy did. Although her house was always clean anyway. We dusted the non dusty furniture and vacuumed the clean floor. It's just what we did/do.

 

[Barb D]

Well, our furniture WAS dusty, and our floors needed lots of picking up *and* vacuuming. I need to have guests periodically to motivate us to do what needs to be done anyway!

Our house is in no way immaculate even after our cleaning session, but it's not too bad. I'm just glad it's at the point now where it takes me a couple of days to get it clean enough for company instead of WEEKS, as it used to.

 

[FroggyinArk]

dw and i disagree on this too,, just last week we had an insurancxe agent over to appreaise hte property to quote us a rate for a better homeowners policy,, we have been in her house way too many times,, we've had to move laundry to fix stuff, had to rinse dishes and move htem to get into kitchen cabinets, we've seen her bed unmade and the house looking like the three kids that live there actually live there,, but dw was determined that there could be no unwashed dishes, no traash in the cans, the desk had to be spotless,, ( i have not seen the top of this ladies desk sice i installed it at her house ) and of course she had to comment on how "clean" every thing was and how he felt bad about how messy hers always looks,, but i was there today and she had a pile of fishing gear in the floor of the room shes wanting cabinets in and was not sure she wanted me to measure it..lol

 

[Nutsy]

Originally posted by Barb D
Well, our furniture WAS dusty, and our floors needed lots of picking up *and* vacuuming. I need to have guests periodically to motivate us to do what needs to be done anyway!

Our house is in no way immaculate even after our cleaning session, but it's not too bad. I'm just glad it's at the point now where it takes me a couple of days to get it clean enough for company instead of WEEKS, as it used to.

That is me exactly.............I need motivation to keep it in a clean & tidy state all the time. As it is, it takes me a day to get in order & that is when we know people are coming

 

[disykat]

I always know it's time to invite someone over if my house gets too messy. Motivation!

i just finished cleaning house for company that called to say they couldn't come after all. I'm actually kind of happy that now my house will stay clean longer! We all claim that the dog is grousing about the bath she took for nothing though.

 

[mtblujeans]

Originally posted by Barb D
I need to have guests periodically to motivate us to do what needs to be done anyway!

Our house is in no way immaculate even after our cleaning session, but it's not too bad. I'm just glad it's at the point now where it takes me a couple of days to get it clean enough for company instead of WEEKS, as it used to.

My DH & 2 teen DSs feel I need the same motivation. But, none of the 3 think they should have to do anything around the house. My DH is like the post I saw on another thread: "You do the inside stuff and I'll do the outside stuff". The first time I actually got DH to help clean house, he stated that his Dad would "spin in his grave" if he saw him cleaning house. What the heck is that?? I think my 3 guys should go live in a cave!! That way, I would have alot less to clean up when company comes!

 

[hockeymom7691]

I had to laugh when I read this thread. My 13 yr old DS is the same way! He just doesn't get it as to why we try to clean and straighten up before guest arrive.

My Dad is driving up from Florida and should be here next weekend. I will be working all week to get things nice & tidy around here!

It amazes me how crazy our house gets when its just the two of us living here. I guess it's all the non-stop running we do. Oh well, like everyone said - having company gets us motivated! Works for me!

 

[tar heel]

I do it b/c I'm a slob, but I don't want other people to know how bad of a slob. My in-laws are coming tonight, so you can guess what I'm doing today!

 

[Twinkles6892]

Mom woke me up at 7 this morning to start cleaning up for "His Royal Highness's" Return (My dad's coming home from a week long work trip) Never mind guests, we have to clean like freaks for my dad!!!

 

[oogieboogie]

we clean the house when the ILs come to stay for the weekend, mostly out of respect for them because I know they couldn't take living in our house if it wasn't cleaned up.

For other company we tidy up mostly, just to get the toys off the floor, clean the bathroom, vacuum mainly so they can at least sit on the couch without having to move 30 thousand pieces of legos or soldiers.

 

[believe]

My house is always straightened, but having guests motivates me to actually dust and clean the floors. By the time I work full-time, clean what I can at my Dad's house and run errands throughout the week...I only have energy left to straighten the house, not do a full fledged cleaning.

 

[Christine]

Tell your son that it's one thing to live in your own filth (dust, hair, scum) but other people don't feel quite so good about *strange* dirt.

I can be pretty sloppy and let my bathrooms or floors go for 2 weeks, but it's my own dirt. I don't think company should have to put up with it!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My goal is to always keep the front of the house (living, foyer, and dining room) picked up so if someone stops by I'm not embarrassed. I've gotten pretty good at that. I have a weekly cleaning schedule and during the summer the kids have to pitch in a lot. When I stay on schedule things are pretty good. Another goal is to not have more than "15 minutes of messy" in any given room. Some weeks I'm good at this and others things go downhill. Bottom line is that when guests are coming over I do a once over, wipe out the bathroom sink, etc, but it shouldn't take me over an hour to get ready. And you have to understand that I used to be terrible with marathon cleaning sessions before guests, piling things into boxes, etc. So if I can do it, ANYONE can!

T&B

 

[SandraM]

DH was away the week before his 40th birthday, only arriving home late the night before. I spent the week cleaning the house from top to bottom. He never said a word, but then it was a busy day as we were having over 60 guests.

A couple of weeks later we were at another 40th and I complimented the hostess on how nice her house was looking. She said to DH & I that she'd been cleaning it all week, whereupon he said to me that maybe we should do the same to our house sometime, 'cos it needed a major spring clean!!!!!

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Originally posted by Christine
Tell your son that it's one thing to live in your own filth (dust, hair, scum) but other people don't feel quite so good about *strange* dirt.

I can be pretty sloppy and let my bathrooms or floors go for 2 weeks, but it's my own dirt. I don't think company should have to put up with it!

I agree. I definitely don't want to go to someone else's house and sit on dirty furniture and inhale dust off their coffee table so I clean my house when someone comes over to extend that courtesy to them. I guess that's not something a 13 year old would think about though.

 

[Ibelieveinfairies]

Originally posted by tar heel
I do it b/c I'm a slob, but I don't want other people to know how bad of a slob.

tar heel....me, too!

I don't know why I care...I don't really inspect other people's houses when I'm there...but I think it is the embarrassment my parents passed on to me when I was young.

 

[caitycaity]

so people have a place to sit! j/k

i agree with christine's post. that and most of the time when we have family come, they will say something if the apartment is too dirty!

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by mtblujeans
My DH is like the post I saw on another thread: "You do the inside stuff and I'll do the outside stuff".

That's me and DH! (I probably posted that!)

I was brought up by a mother who cleaned with a fury before company came over. I think it's sign of respect for those coming to you house. I would be MORTIFIED if I had company over and there was a layer of dust on our table or the bathroom was filthy.

I clean our house top to bottom (well - not the basement - it may be 'inside' but it's DH's workshop) every week. If I know i'm having people over, I'll throw even more gusto into it. but, ask my DH, our house is sparkling come Saturday afternoon when I'm done.

the only thing I DON'T do before I have company over, is wash the floors. Especially if we are having a party/picnic...I'm just going to have to re-do it the next day...so I just vaccuum/swiffer it and leave the deep cleaning to the next day.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

So why do I clean my house for company?

Because I love my house and it looks great squeaky clean with fresh lemony scents. It makes me happy.