You like things neat and organized, but does your partner? Not so much. He never makes the bed, never does the dishes after dinner…usually a trail of clutter seems to follow him around the house. If we describe your current life, you don’t have to be constantly tidying up after your partner or family member. There are ways to deal with the messy person in your life, and Melissa from Clean My Space explains exactly how.
Spoiler alert: the solution is not to kick the messy person out of the house! That’s much simpler.
Dealing with the messy person in your life starts with one simple step: communication. You may think the person is a two-legged mess, but they may think you’re a neat freak with unrealistic cleaning goals. Start by talking to him to get on the same page. Make sure you don’t grumble or yell – no one likes to be attacked or talked at behind their back.
Some tips that have helped us in this chaotic negotiation process:
- Make a list with the messy person of the areas that need to be cleaned and then figure out which areas he or she wants cleaned. If the messy person hates cleaning the bathroom, but would like to see the living room a little tidier, they are more likely to cooperate and clean the living room instead of the bathroom.
- Perhaps you can create a “chaos zone” or a space where they can unleash their mess without you judging it or cleaning it up. But they should keep your areas (i.e., the rest of the house) spotlessly clean.
- The key is to encourage them. It’s like being a parent: you need to reward your messy friend or partner for their clean behavior (going to the movies, making them dinner, etc.). This will encourage them to behave more cleanly.
What do you think of these strategies?
Do you live with a messy person and how do you deal with them?
Share your opinion in the comments
