DH question. What can I do?

DH and I are opposites on the clean and tidy front. I love things being clean, and I work really hard to keep them that way, whereas DH is very relaxed. That's ok - I understand that we're different, and that for me to have the house the way I really want it, I have to put a bit extra in eg. DH will clean the mud off his boots in the laundry, and leave mud splatters all down the cupboards, the walls etc. So, I clean it up.

He does help, don't get me wrong. He does washing, changes the bed, does the vacuuming etc for example.

One thing that really upsets me though is the constant battle we have is over his shoes and boots living everywhere but where they should live. At the moment, I have 3 pairs of dirty shoes on the carpet in the lounge, one pair of work boots, and one pair of very mud encrusted tramping boots. I've tried throwing them out the door, I've tried putting them in a pile so he can see how ridiculous it is, I've tried putting them away, and I've tried, several times, to explain to him that when I work so hard to keep the house tidy, it does actually upset and hurt me that he refuses to do something so simple as to leave something which will create extra work for me, where it won't. How hard is it for example, to mow the lawns then take your boots off before coming inside and leave them in the garage or on the porch, instead of walking into the lounge, taking them off and leaving them, grass clippings, mud and all, on the carpet?

I can deal with most of his other stuff which creates extra work for me, but this is sort of the straw that constantly breaks the camel's back.

What else can I do? It's such a simple thing, and I manage it just fine.

Of course, it didn't help that I put his boots out on the porch the other night because they were all muddy, and it rained horozontal into the porch. Argh

So, what would you guys try next?

I am going to go and buy a trug this afternoon, in the hope that he might take his boots/shoes off and at least leave them in there.

Ok are they 'supposed' to go somewhere close to the door, nice and accessible? Or do they live in the bedroom at the end of the hall? Try to make it practical/easy for the shoes to 'walk home'

I'd be tempted to hide the next pair of boots that is left in the way, for a couple of days... but that would be a bit more son-ish not husband-ish

Hehe. Well, I've bought the trugs to dump all the dog walking etc stuff in, and cleaned out the hot water cupboard RIGHT BY THE DOOR to make it easier to take boots off ... lets see how we go!

Hiding stuff is not a good option as then everything gets turfed inside out and backwards (wardrobes etc) and then left like that ...

My solution to everything - beat him with a big stick!

Id ask him when he comes in are those going to stay there and if he says yes pick them up and throw them outside rain or no rain while he is watching id only have to do it a couple of times before he would learn or give him the 'what the hell do you think your doing look' DP always thinks twice about what he might be doing wrong when i look at him like that

i love shoes and i was almost getting teary reading your post ezza lol

i like emmas idea about the stick and the idea about throwing them outside, and the one about the rubbish
Put a sign where they are supposed to go saying "put your effing shoes here buddy " (or worse words if you want)

Ezza!! Oh good heavens! *sniffle* I think most of us with dogs have a shoe disaster to speak of (I have 1x shoe disaster, 1x wallet disaster, and countless x phone cord and xmas light disasters ... don't ask!) but 4??!!


We had success yesterday!

We took the dogs for a walk, and although the boots came into the house on his feet, and walked through to the lounge, he sat on the couch, took them off and then walked them back to the hot water cupboard that I cleaned out yesterday for him to store his crap in I'm not sure what happened to the work boots this morning - I was still half asleep when I left the house

I also bought a trug yesterday afternoon, and all the dog walking crap that piles up by the front door got biffed in that, and post-dog walk, that's where it ended up again. So, progress!

The next step, if we don't manage to maintain this, is Emma's suggestion

And from there, I'm just going to work my way through the list that you've all contributed to! Thanks!!

Oh my gosh ginger I feel your pain.

My DH has a problem with not finding the clothes basket, he only ever finds the floor, being floor in general, not just in bathroom or bedroom I am talking the whole house!
I have tried it all, do it myself, leave it, throw it in the rubbish (now that became a battle) buy more laundry baskets.

No luck. I have now had to resort to just doing it myself!