A.P.D.--The Housework and Public Shaming Edition

The MiL hosted her book group last night at our house, which of course meant that I spent yesterday cleaning up. In my case, that meant outside and inside because when the weather is warm we live almost equally both inside and out.

Outside: Random bits of boards used to make a road for Cubby's firetruck, the weight bar A. lifts with, some of A.'s traps that Cubby had "set" on the lawn to catch Charlie, various muddy boots and on and on and on.

Inside: Too many damn books and newspapers and magazines to be believed because we are too literate, an incredible array of toy pieces (blocks, puzzle pieces, a magnetic fishing pole, hammers, confiscated swords, etc.), sunscreen, receipts, Mia's broken dog collar, a magnifying glass, and on and on and on.

It took me over an hour just to get the downstairs in order, and that was before I did the actual sweeping and dusting and vacuuming.

I always think, while doing this, that it would be so much easier if I would just keep it neat all the time. Then all I would have to do is the actual cleaning, not the picking up. I'm not saying we live in squalor; it's mostly picked up and mostly clean at all times. We do toy pick-up every night before bed, but there are always bits and pieces that get under tables and chairs or are just so random I don't even know what to do with them (piece of ribbon that was a fishing line and MUST be saved? there is no place for that). Those things build up incrementally until company is coming.

Because the embarrassing truth is that without the threat of public shaming, I am not motivated to really clean my house.

There. I said it.

Now, how about you, my lovelies? Do you keep your house in company-worthy condition at all times? Do you frantically clean only when you know someone will be entering your home? Or do you not care and just let it all hang out for everyone to see?