As most of us acknowledge, being a quilter and being a spotless homemaker are oximoronous (new word.) So i'm just wondering what things stick out at you when you go to someone's house and think to yourself--"wow-she's a spotless housekeeper!" Are there one or two things that just jump out at you? I dust and vacuum, but what are the trademarks that you see---'cause I want to skip the rest of the drudgery and go directly to the spotless housekeeper title (even if is is fake!) :lol:

I notice kitchens and bathrooms.

She probably doesn't have thread all over everything. LOL

I keep my kitchen and bathroom very clean... a little clutter or dust doesn't bother me at all.
As for a Susie Homemaker house? I guess it is just that... spotless looking and it saddens me I guess... ]
L ife is too short to worry that much about housework,and not have very much time for pure enjoyment, unless there is a medical conditions that warrants that much upkeep :D:D:D

I think you can get by with more dust and threads on the floor if you have little clutter. I cant stand clutter, except in my sewin room..LOL

Always keep taps and mirrors shinny, windex does wonders. Keep the garbage can in bathroom empty. Declutter kitchen counters.

I try to do the Flylady thing, 15 minutes at a time. I can go that long without withdrawal symptoms from quilting.

just redd it up a bit, like my Grandma used to say. Which meant dust, pick up anything bigger than a shoe, kick the shoes under the bed, toss the dirty apron in the wash, put on a clean apron and act surprised and glad to see visitors.
If you have time before they arrive, boil a few whole cloves in a pan of water, or spray something that smells nice around the front room and front door. Baking an apple or pumpkin pie will always make guests forget anything else except pie and coffee.
Start a coffee pot, the old fashioned perking type makes the whole house smell good in the cold weather. Drip machines don't.

Life is too short to worry that much about housework,and not have very much time for pure enjoyment, unless there is a medical conditions that warrants that much upkeep :D:D:D[/quote]
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I've asked my kids over the years what they remembered best from their childhoods. Never, never did they remember how I mopped the floor after they went to bed, never did recall how I did this or that to the house. What they did remember with love and smiles, were the times that I did something with them, took them somewhere, when DH and I took them camping, etc.

Clean kitchen, toilet(s) and bathrooms. The rest is not such a worry. I like to keep the front path/entrance swept and clean and always throw the curtains open and let in plenty of fresh air. Oh and pet bowls...I hate seeing dirty/messy pet bowl areas.

I had to chuckle when I was first married our home was so spotless friends did not want to come over. They felt it was too clean to feel relaxed in. Fast forward 8 years and 1 5yo later and well we now have a lived in home. One of our friends said it felt so much better. So a little dust a little clutter is noraml. I keep the kitchen and bathrooms and our living space spotless but bedrooms and such are no longer worrisome.