The boiler is playing up but you cannot face the engineer seeing the house. A friend wants to pop round and you make an excuse. You are far from the only one.
Do tradespeople judge messy houses?
Plumbers, engineers, carers and nurses go into hundreds of homes. Most are focused on the job in front of them, not on judging yours.
What do I need to clear before an engineer comes?
Clear the path, not the whole house. All they need is:
- A clear route from the front door to the thing they are fixing.
- A small space to put their tools down.
- Somewhere to wash their hands.
That is it. Everything else can stay as it is.
The one-hour visitor reset
If someone is coming soon, set a timer for an hour and only do this:
- Bag anything that is rubbish along the route (15 minutes).
- Move piles from the route into one room and close the door (15 minutes).
- Wipe the sink and the toilet (15 minutes).
- Open a window and sit down for a minute (15 minutes, you have earned it).
What can I say at the door?
You do not owe anyone an explanation, but some people find it easier to say it first: “It’s a bit full in here at the moment, the boiler is through this way.” Most people will just nod and get on with it.
If you have more warning, two weeks until someone comes round spreads it into one small job a day. And if the feeling underneath is the bigger thing, embarrassed about the state of your house? Read this first.