Do you have a "drop by anytime" house? - Page 4

stacia · 09-18-2006, 10:03 AM

My house is somewhat drop in ready, but normally I invite playdates over to give me motivation to clean. That's normally the only time the whole house is cleaned is when people are coming over. It even gets my dh vacuuming!

I do hate drop-ins though, everyone knows they better call an hour at least in advance if they want the door opened!

proverbs31chick · **Must See Website!**

Hey ladies! If you haven't already visited her website, you must check out the Fly Lady. Her website is www.flylady.com. I have only been flying as she calls it for less than a month, but my house is continuing to become "drop by guest friendly." The thing that I love about her advice is that it only takes fifteen minutes at a time. Her suggestions are small steps to start with so you can build up to the full routine.

Good luck ladies!!!

bridgestock · **House - Drop in ready?**

My house is by no means drop in ready but I am working on it. I found a site called Flylady.net. She helps you get a handle on your house in very small baby steps. Check it out. I hope my house is drop in ready soon (my kitchen is almost there!).

lamby248 · 09-18-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliadam

Oh my god NO!!!! Actually lots of times if the door bell rings and I don't know someones coming I don't answer the door...okay actually MOST of the time. I always jokingly tell people to give me two weeks notice before they come by...although it's not really that much of a joke. What can I say...I SUCK at housecleaning.

LOL This is me also.. I have not answered the door a few times. I never have anyone just stopping by though..really no one stops by, so when someone does, I usually get excited! haha

Almost always, my kitchen and bathroom is fairly clean. I hate clutter on the countertops and I also hate dirty dishes sitting in the sink, so that those 2 rooms are easy to keep clean, also they are very small. LOL My house is no where 'drop in friendly' though. My living room is the first room everyone sees, it's also the biggest room and one with the most stuff on the floor. I have to definitely declutter my house sometime..

Actually, I took today as a vacation day just so that I could get some things done.. and what am I doing? Watching tv and surfing the net.

If I didn't work fulltime, I know my house would be better managed and organized. By the time I get home at night, I am so tired and exhausted that I don't really feel like doing much of anything. When I have all day to get the house done, I can do it in small doses and still relax a little.

mommyt · 09-18-2006, 10:54 AM

yes I do! How do I do it? 15 minutes at a time and routines provided by Flylady at www.flylady.net I never used to be ready for company until I found flylady. I have 3 children ages 6, 5, and 3. I found flylady almost a year ago and at the same time found peace as well as a clean home.

pandi410 · 09-18-2006, 05:06 PM

I ALWAYS have a "drop by" house!!! Shoes- drop by door, socks-drop by stove, blankets-drop by toys, toys - drop by (not in) toy basket, dishes- drop by sink. Clothes- drop by tub. Yup- that's my house in a nutshell. .

Seriously though- I TRY to keep an orderly house, but with 2 kids running around there are always things out of place. I've just learned to accept it and don't let it bother me anymore if the house isn't picture perfect. Took me a long while to get to that point, but I'm there now. . . I think

vioburn · 09-18-2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommysparkles

My house is king of the messes. Always looks like a tornado went right on through. But then my house is really small, 2 bdrm bungalo, lived in by 6 people. We added 2 bedrooms to the basement and put all the kids down there in order to alleviate the crowding and mess on the main floor but that didn't quite go the way we thought it would.

I do so hate drop ins, b/c they never come by when the house is clean, but I don't discourage it and I am not going to be a slave to every detail of a clean house. Instead, when people drop by I just politely tell them to excuse the mess.

My SIL told me several years ago when I use to say this to her that if people come into your home and don't like the way it looks, then they can just grab that dust rag or broom and do something about it. So that has just become my way of thinking. Did you come to see me or how I keep house?

On a funny note, several months ago a girlfriend came to babysit for me for a few hours and when I came home I found clean doors. My doors are all white in my house and with 4 kids get lots of dirt. This was driving her crazy to see so she actually washed my doors for me. Furthering my "if you don't like the way it looks, do something about it".

My mom takes your SIL's advice to heart. She'll come over and just start cleaning. For the longest time, it would irritate me so bad! I felt like it was some sort of put down, like I couldn't do it myself. The fact was, I was really busy with a preschooler, a toddler and a baby. But then, one day, my sister asked me why I got so mad about it. She said, if someone wanted to come to her house and clean, she would be happy to let them! So, I begrudgingly let her do it now. I've learned to take help when it's offered, since someday it might not be offered any more.

Ginny

R&RMOM · 09-18-2006, 08:44 PM

Go to Flylady.net--it really will work if you do what she says.

JeannetteDavis · 09-22-2006, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottie

I keep the main rooms in our house drop in ready and the rest are ok, but not pristine. I would never open a closet for a guest. My mom told me when I was struggling with housekeeping that the key is to put your house to bed each night. She raised 7 kids and it was always a circus, but never a mess. It also helps for everything to have a place. I know that's hard, especially when you are growing out of your house, but I purge regularly and try to keep on top of the constant flow of paper.

Each night when I do the dishes, my husband bathes the kids, and I put the house to bed. The kids pick up their toys, I wipe down tables that are sticky/dirty, and put everything back where it belongs. Then in the morning, I unload dishwasher, make beds and wipe down the bathroom. We have a playroom which helps a bunch. Toys stay in the playroom and I never apologize for toys being out in the playroom.

I think this is kind of scattered, but I hope this helps.

I do similar stuff. I take a break on Friday night and don't do as much to the house, but every other night I make sure that the house is clean, tidy, and ready to go the next day.

My house is always drop in ready. My family room almost always looks lived in, but it can be tidied quickly or I can take guests to the living room or dining room if it is important to me. Usually, though, if someone is dropping by, I'm comfortable with my house.

I would NEVER give someone a tour of all the closets. I am the queen of the stashers, and my closets and some of my drawers are the places I stash.

Mum2Twins · 09-23-2006, 11:23 AM

The downstairs area is pretty much drop by any time ready, although there is always mail on the kitchen table. But nobody is allowed to go upstairs, unless I know that they are coming to stay. (Then I have the frantic clean up and put away - open closets at your own risk!) I had a friend once, that when she finally went upstairs, told me that she thought that the stairs were "stairs to No-where!"