What Happens when a Neat Freak and a Slob Fall in Love ...

Alicia

Neat freaks and slobs often seem to fall in love. Opposites do attract and this area is no exception. So what do you do if you find yourself in this situation? These are some tips to help with that.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:

1. You Need to Realize Neither of You Are Going to Change Your Natural Selves

You are who you are. You aren’t automatically going to become a different person just because you’re in a relationship. You can work on your habits, but no one goes through an immediate transformation. The same is true of your partner. It’s best to accept each other as you are rather than fight against your natural personalities. However, you can work on being the best version of yourself.

***

The idea of two people with different habits and preferences coming together in a relationship is not a new one. While it can be a challenge, it can also be a great opportunity to learn how to compromise and work together as a team.

When a neat freak and a slob fall in love, it can be a difficult situation. A neat freak is someone who is very organized and prefers to keep things clean and tidy. A slob is someone who is not as organized and prefers to keep things disorganized. Both of these people have different preferences and it can be hard to find a middle ground.

However, it is important to realize that neither of you are going to change your natural selves. You can work on your habits, but no one can expect an immediate transformation. It’s best to accept each other as you are rather than fight against your natural personalities.

In order to make the relationship work, it is important to find a balance between the two. This means that both of you have to be willing to compromise and make adjustments to accommodate each other’s needs. It is also important to communicate openly and honestly about your needs and expectations.

2. Have Some Separate Areas of Space in Your Home if You Live Together

I’m going to assume you’re sharing a home for the purpose of this article because that’s usually where the issues between a neat freak and a slob start showing up. Have some separate areas of space so that you have your area to be neat and he has his to be sloppy or vice versa. This can help to keep tensions down on the issue. Your closet is a good area to use this tip. Let him have his area and you have yours.

***

When two people with different lifestyles come together, it can be a challenge to keep the peace. A neat freak and a slob can quickly find themselves in a power struggle as each person tries to impose their own standards on the other. This can lead to arguments, resentment, and even breakups.

One way to help avoid this is to establish separate areas in the home. This can mean having separate closets, separate living spaces, or even separate bedrooms. This allows each person to have their own space where they can keep their own standards and respect the other person’s space.

Another way to help is to set up a cleaning schedule. This can help to ensure that both parties are contributing to the upkeep of the home. It can also help to set up specific tasks for each person to do, such as one person doing the dishes and the other person doing the laundry. This can help to ensure that each person is doing their fair share of the work.

Frequently asked questions

3. Choose Your Battles Wisely

When you’re living with someone who clashes with you in neatness standards, it’s important to choose your battles wisely. You don’t want to fight over everything. That isn’t healthy for your relationship. You have to decide if the issue is more important than your relationship. Because of that, it’s best to choose your battles wisely and only confront the things that really bother you.

4. Find Some Ways to Compromise

Compromise is one of the keys to a happy relationship. Give and take can help you both to find a peaceful existence. If there’s something he’s doing that bothers you, such as throwing dirty clothes on the floor at night instead of taking them to the laundry room, maybe you can find a compromise. Maybe he could pick them up when he wakes up. Another suggestion might be for him to put them in a hamper.

5. Let His Personal Areas Be His to Deal with

I’m the neater, more organized person in my relationship. One thing that’s helped me is to let my husband’s areas be his areas to deal with. For example, he has a garage. I don’t go in it and I don’t think about how it’s cluttered. It’s not my area so I don’t go there in my thoughts.

6. Don’t Get Overly Focused on the Differences You Have

Yes, you’re different. The differences in your standards of neatness are probably only the tip of the iceberg. You’re going to discover lots of differences over time. Don’t get overly focused on them or you could end up killing your relationship. Focus on the things you love about each other instead.

7. Evaluate What Matters Most to You

Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? Do you want to make your standard of neatness or lack thereof a big issue? You can, but it could hurt the happiness you have together. That’s never a good thing. Work together to find a standard that you can both live with.

These are some tips to help if one of you is a neat freak and the other is a slob. Did any of them offer you useful advice? I’d love to hear from you.

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

My ex was disgusting. Wouldn't clean his ears, shower, cut his tonails, or brush his teeth unless I bagged at him. Didn't do his own laundry, didn't have a car. The most I would ask him to do was the dishes and the lawn. Since I did everything else and the dishes were always still dirty and the lawn was crooked with long strips uncut. It drove me insane. There has definitely got to be compromise, but there is also common sense and respect. A relationship is give and take, not expecting your significant other to do everything for and baby you like your mother.

The funny part is he's the neat freak

Alicia, you're so right about each person having a space all their own in a living arrangement. This is so important in keeping the peace.

Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? Amazing mantra which I think I need to remember!! Xx

I would have no problem cleaning up after my significant other bcus I hate a mess just that much

Good on you Chance!👏 a relationship is definitely give and take...he was just taking advantage of you. My partner and I are neat freaks and I just love it!!!!!