Are You a Neat Homemaker or Messy?
@DeborahDiane (40053)
Laguna Woods, California
January 11, 2019 11:41pm CST
I love it when my home is tidy and organized. Whether we lived in a small apartment when we were young, or in a large home while we were raising children, I have always liked all the beds to be made, with everything picked up and put away. I am still that way.
Years ago, I had a friend who was a lot of fun and wonderful mother, but her home was always a disaster.
Here is a funny story about her:
She took her children to school one day and when she returned, her front door was wide open. She went to a neighbor's home and called the police, saying that her front door was open and she was afraid her home had been broken into.
When the police came, they walked through her home and then went to the neighbor's house to tell her that they had some bad news. They said that her house had been vandalized, things were thrown everywhere, and they wanted her to tell them what might be missing.
She walked into her house with the police, looked at the laundry which was sorted on the floor, the children's toys everywhere, the cereal which her kids had spilled, and the general mess and told the police, "Oh, no, this is just the way I left it."
Even funnier, she told all her friends about the incident!
I could never have done that. She was not even embarrassed. I would have been mortified if the police ever thought my house was so messy that it had been vandalized! 
31 people like this
32 responses
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
12 Jan 19
i wonder how the kids turned out when they moved out for college then work then have their own homes - messy or neat?
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@JudyEv - I agree! She was bright and fun; her husband was a college professor. They seemed to have a happy family and I think that is the important thing!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325696)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jan 19
@hereandthere It's strange. Some take after their parents in these types of situations but others go completely the opposite.
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@jstory07 - I am the same way. There might be a bowl in the sink, or a pair of shoes by the door, but otherwise my house is organized and everything is always put away before I go to bed each night.
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@noni1959 - I'm exactly the same way. I am perfectly OK if someone stops by. I keep my house looking generally pretty neat.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
12 Jan 19
I hate mess. So I could never be like her. Though I have cousins who are really messy, and ones who don't pick up after their kids as often as they should.
4 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@Courtlynn - I could never live like that either, but it sure didn't seem to bother her. I guess everyone is different.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
13 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane definitely. Don't know how people can do it.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
12 Jan 19
Really this happened? My house is messy but not to the point like that.
4 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@ilocosboy - Yes, it really happened. I was surprised she told all her friends about it. I would have been too embarrassed!
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
12 Jan 19
My place is not that bad but I would say I'm in between, I don't always make my bed but I like my kitchen and bathroom to be the cleanest rooms in the house.
4 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@hillhjill - It is most important to have a clean kitchen and bathroom, because those are the rooms where you do not want germs.
1 person likes this
@popciclecold (35084)
• United States
12 Jan 19
I too, would have been embarrassed, she didn't seem ashamed at all.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@popciclecold - No, she did not seem embarrassed. I would have been horrified and would never have told anyone except, perhaps, a very close friend. She told everyone!
1 person likes this
@mayka123 (16584)
• India
13 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane And I have a grown up son who lives with me and who can never keep things organized. So I usually spend half my time cleaning up his mess.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@mayka123 - I understand. When I worked, it was harder for me to keep everything organized.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Jan 19
@mayka123 - Oh, no! I hope that someday, before he gets married, he becomes more organized!
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (137214)
• Philippines
13 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane I do think that most mothers are like this. The worst part, we can't go out and play if not cleaning the rooms.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Jan 19
@Shavkat - I think that is a reasonable rule, but I think that most kids do not like it!
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
12 Jan 19
I would have been ashamed to call the police. I am picky about my home and I keep it tidy and clean. I remember when we stayed at the hotels that the maids used to tell me that it was a pleasure "to do our bedroom", because there was nothing messing around.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
13 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane I let the maids make the bed and most of the time, I do it again before going to sleep. Some are pretty good, but some maids make the bed in a horrible way.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Jan 19
@LadyDuck - I have made adjustments to hotel beds before, but never felt as if I had to remake it. However, we all have a special way we like to have the bed made up, so I can completely understand why you would change it.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@LadyDuck - I am the same way. I cannot even stand to have a mess in a hotel room, although I let the maids make the bed. For me, that is enough of a treat.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95105)
• Marion, Ohio
12 Jan 19
That is funny. Mine can be a mixture at times.
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@wolfgirl569 - We all have good days and bad days!
@Marilynda1225 (79697)
• United States
12 Jan 19
That is a funny story but I would have been mortified too if the police thought my house had been vandalized when actually that's how it generally looks.
My house is always tidy and I would never be embarrassed if someone stopped in unexpectedly.
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79697)
• United States
13 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane guess she thought it was funny and everyone would get a laugh
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Jan 19
@Marilynda1225 - She was a friend from church and she told all of the women about what happened during fellowship after church that Sunday. I was amazed she told us about it, but she did get a good laugh out of us! In addition, that happened at least 30 years ago, and I still remember it vividly! LOL
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@Marilynda1225 - I agree! She came to church and told everyone what had happened. I would have been horrified to have that happen to me! LOL
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@nela13 - Yes, children can make it more difficult to keep your house neat. It sounds like you try, however.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Jan 19
@nela13 - When you have children, it is harder to keep things organized!
1 person likes this
@nela13 (55698)
• Portugal
14 Jan 19
@DeborahDiane I try and sometimes everything is tidy and well organized but I always have toys, Legos or games around the house.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@banksim - That seems to be true with many men and women, but not all of them. My husband has learned to become neater than he was when we were young.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
12 Jan 19
If you mean " neat homemaker " means really clean and tidy then I'm not because I do the fixing, restoring, reapairing etc.. The women of the house, my mother, wife and daughter do that( see to it everything is neat and tidy), we have specific functions ( flexible at times)I put back the tools, paints etc..after I work but that's just about it.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@louievill - It sounds like your home is generally very neat, because you get lots of help! I'm glad to hear that you do pick up after yourself and do not leave a mess for others to clean up!
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (51511)
• Philippines
12 Jan 19
My room is just messy a little bit, sadly I'm not much of a neat freak.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@Letranknight2015 - Everyone is a little different, and that is OK.
@paigea (35678)
• Canada
19 Jan 19
I wish someone would come and "organize" me. I think I could keep it organized them.
I emptied the whole pantry and tried to put it back organized. Fail.
I don't think someone would say my house looked vandalized, but it is generally untidy.
I remember my Grandma's bed when she took her afternoon rest. Her bed would have a book, letters she was reading/ writing, grocery list, flyers, hanky. I remember thinking my bed is never going to look like that.
Now wherever I settle, bed or couch looks like that. I seem to need everything out and ready to grab.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Jan 19
@paigea - As long as you are happy and comfortable, that is the important thing!
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
12 Jan 19
I am neat and organized, I cannot stand nothing in the floor, and I hate a dirty kitchen. However, sometime I need to dust.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@andriaperry - Yes, dusting is the one thing that sometimes catches me by surprise. I will look at a table in the sunlight and run to get my duster.
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@Janet357 - I agree. It makes me very uncomfortable when my house is messy.
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jan 19
@debjani1 - Ha ha! I like the way you think. I really love a clean house when someone else cleans it!
