‘House proud’. It’s a new term for me, and an unexpected source of stress when I was being kicked out of my first London home.
During the second week after we had been given notice to leave, I got a call on my mobile at lunch time. It was Damian.
‘Joan, the real estate agent is going to show some people through the house. Is that okay with you?’
I panicked. I thought of the pyjamas thrown over my computer chair, the unmade bed, books and bills on my desk, towel drying over the radiator, shoes placed around my bedroom to trip unsuspecting guests.
‘Erm…’ I hemmed.
‘I’ll say no if you want,’ Damian said. ‘I told the landlord that we’d have the last stay for showing people through.’
‘Ah, no, it’s okay.’ I was embarrassed. ‘Will you be there?’
‘Yes, as a matter of fact, I’ve got a half day off.’
‘Um, would you mind going up to my room and shoving the clothes on my bed under the blanket?’
‘House proud, Joan? I never knew.’
I never knew either. All of a sudden, the idea of strangers seeing my slobbishness filled me with deep shame.
Ten minutes after Damian hung up the phone, I messaged him to ask him to open up the curtains as well. I don’t know why I wanted my room to look its best. It wasn’t like I wanted the landlord to sell the house!
After that day, the estate agent showed two more groups of people through and let a builder in as well. Each time, my bedroom was immaculate. I couldn’t leave the house without making the bed and putting away bits, bobs and clothes.
You know, keeping your room tidy takes up a lot of time. I got to work five or ten minutes later every day.
The good news is that I’ve carried my new tidy habit over to my new bedroom. You never know when someone is going to come in…
This fridge magnet features in the kitchen of my new flat. Is it true?
haha. it’s so funny reading what u wrote and reading the message on the fridge magnet.
The place I’m living is for sale right now. There’s an “open house” so lots of strangers will come visit, and there’s photos of every room posted on the Internet. I don’t like all that, but on the other hand it’s kinda nice to have a clean apartment for a change 🙂
I have to admit, I have an obsession of making sure my apartment is SUPER clean prior to inviting anyone over. Due to this obsession, I seldom invite anyone to my home. I believe that people are often quick to judge someone’s personality based on their home. A dirty home seems to say, in my opinion, that the owner takes no pride in themself, belongings and surrounding. Although it is not necessary true…
I think you are perfectly normal to be house proud. 🙂
I refuse to leave the house in the morning without making my bed. If I’m not leaving the house on a particular day, I feel really uncomfortable if my bed is not made by lunch time.
I’m scared that one day I’ll be murdered or something and the police will have to come and look for clues in the apartment. I want them to think that I’m neat.
“She’s so tidy. Who would ever want to murder her?”