h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hallelujah! Another woman who dislikes housework as much as I do!

Your 'use the shower unless you're prepared to clean the bath' idea has one drawback, though. Our shower is over the bath (sounds like yours might be, too). The plug-hole gets blocked with hair, preventing the shower water draining away. As we live in a hard water area, scum collects on the top and stains that end of the bath. So the bath still has to be cleaned fairly regularly, even though we both just have showers.

I've never been brave enough to leave dust for 4 years. Only a man could say that you won't notice it after that time!

The rule we have on housework is: The person who doesn't mind a particular chore, does it. So Richard does the vacuuming, washes the cars and, at least half the time, does the dishes. I like cooking, so I do that. I also do the laundry, but we've chosen our clothes so that they need the minimum of ironing. If it needs doing, I'll iron. I also do the dusting and wash the windows (inside only - I don't like the heights I'd have to get to to do the outside). Washing floors and keeping the bathroom clean are also my jobs.

It always sounds like I do a lot compared to Richard, but some of the jobs are so straightforward (e.g., laundry) that it all evens out.

Having said that I don't like housework, I also don't like mess. Every now and then I have a 'tidying blitz' to get the house looking reasonable. As my mother says, 'I don't like housework, but I like the end result.'

A very well written piece WS, and full of good tips and common sense. In this home, the usual roles are reversed - I enjoy housework, my wife doesn't. I do almost everything except the cooking, which I'm utterly hopeless at, except for baking, and as Steph loves to cook, it works very well.

About the dust thing - I think Quentin Crisp said that it doesn't get any worse after four years (or was it three?). I can tell you from experience that it does.

Jim