I have lived on my own for years now, and despite some Herculean battles to bring order to the chaos, my house is always a complete dump. I can't ever seem to find the time to tidy the place. Every so often I'll go on some major cleaning maneuvers, I'll write out rotas and I'll force myself to keep the place in shape for a few weeks. But then one day I'll decide to take a day off- I'll go down the pub or slump in front of the telly, and that's it. The system collapses. I surrender to the mess.


Does this sound familiar to anyone? It seems to me that most blokes living on their own lack the ability to keep up with simple domestic chores. Does anyone else think this, or are some women the same? And more importantly, does anyone know what I can do about it? Is there any hope that I'll ever "grow up" and finally become competent enough to run a household that I could be proud of?

In my experience, women are just the same. It's not just a bloke thing.

I'm a tidying freak obsessive - cant have anything out of place. I drive people mad. Living with messy people drives me crazy.

I'd agree that isn't just a bloke thing. I like things to be clean, but am hardly obsessive and somehow just find being tidy impossible.

On the other hand I have known some very tidy blokes - and also some who don't notice dirt etc.

It definaltly isn't just blokes. I am very untidy and really have to force myself to do the simple things like wash the pots. It's just soooo boring. My friend will spend days cleaning her flat to perfection but I just can't be bothered. She thinks there's something wrong with me! I'd say there's something wrong with her. There's more to life than cleaning!

I am begrudgingly starting to become a cleaner tidier person and my flat has been pretty tidy for at least two weeks now, and I have to admit I suppose it is better but by god I'd rather be spend my time learning how to play snooker in the pub than wearing out my marigolds!

Thank goodness, I thought it was just me! I agree Steelblade, there's more to life than having the cleanest carpet in the neighbourhood.;)

I live in a shared house with 3 other lads, you'd think between us we could manage to keep it clean but we can't. Manage to keep track of the pots but that's about it :)