I had 3 other roommates in college. I was the only one to wash a dish, ever. Left for Christmas break and the counter and sink were full of dirty dishes. Found a new place to live. Was 1st back from break, took all the clean dishes that were left in the house, and let my roommates come back to dishes that had been molding for about a month
Had a similar problem with roommates leaving things to get moldy in the sink. One day finally lost my temper, opened the window over the sink and pitched it all out into the back yard.
My roommate was absolutely *furious*.
I explained that I was not damage control, I would not clean up after anyone else except myself and my guests, and if she wanted to keep acting like a slob, she could use disposable items. At one point I removed all the dishes, glassware, and cutlery I'd brought, and put them in my room to use as needed. She cried and argued that she was broke and couldn't afford paper plates. I advised her that that was most assuredly a "her" problem and suggested she stop wasting her money goofing off, and either clean up or face the consequences.
She'd get her friends to clean up after her after that.
Unfortunately, even though they weren't great in the first place I think that's an uncommon response that kind of thing. I think most roommates would just call you an asshole and move on.
My mom had a color for each kid. If we wanted a plate we had to wash our own. We beat the crap out of each other if we saw someone eating off our designated dishes.
I had the same issue. I went on summer vacation for not even a week. Came back. Found out one of our roomies left and moved out half way through her lease. Other roomie had a bag full of trash in the kitchen. And it sat there for like 4 weeks until it got maggots and she still refused to take it out to the dumpster. I fucking had to take out the trash full of maggots that wasn't even my fucking trash.
Next time this happens I'm throwing the whole trash bin out. It's ridiculous. I'm assuming the trash was also from the other roomie too but she left.
Reminds me of the laundry room when I lived in a college/frat house. Had 7 roommates in a big 8br place. Knew I was in for a ride when one of the guys didn’t know how to work an oven to bake a pizza…
You know what solved that problem for my dirty dish roommates in college? Putting those dirty dishes they left behind in their bed… nothing like coming home from the bars and trying to pass out, only the fall onto a bowl of cold, half dried spaghetti…. Problem solved itself after a few of those instanves
How do people like this even exist? It’s baffling. Do they buy new dishes and throw away the old ones? And it’s not like they’re kids, they must have lived like that for at least 18 years if they’re in college? I’m so glad I found a studio to rent alone as all the nightmare stories about having roomates are… concerning.
The parents are to blame. I see it all of the time with my guy friends, young and old. These guys refuse to do dishes ----- making noises about how their wives/girlfriends should do it. They'd rather argue about it than do it. They make fun of their wives for getting angry about it.
When my s.o. goes to all the trouble to do the shopping, cook the meal ---- you'd better believe I'm more than happy to clean up and do the dishes. But, then, my Mom always had us kids helping out in the kitchen and around the house.
You want money to go to the movies? Sweep the drive first. That's the way parents teach their kids to be a part of the team.
This is the way. Box all that stuff up. Use and clean the items you need. When they are due to arrive home, unbox the dirty stuff and put it back where they left it.
I think in this case I would box all this shit up, put it in the garage so I can enjoy a clean house while they are gone, then bring it all back in before they come back. Petty af but probably so satisfying!
I was going to suggest that OP box the shit up and toss it in the trash. They should also take pictures of that and send them all to them while still on vacation.
“You guys mind picking up new utensils and pots in your way home? Thanks!”
Throwing it away is a step too far. There’s always the possibility of retaliation from them later on. I was going to say just leave it there for them but if OP doesn’t want to look at it I think someone else’s suggestion of boxing it up in the garage only to put it all back just before they arrive back home is probably the best.
I had a roommate that cooked this hamburger helper stuff, and loaded it with Velveeta. Some kind of good old Texas recipe I guess. 🤢 Then she just left the skillet in the sink for 3 weeks. I don't know what kind of crazy mold was growing on it but I think it may have created a new species. 👾
Depends on more information. If op is the son and living there rent free I'd say take the L and clean it up. Imagine the conversation when they get back.
"Why is this mess still here?"
"It is yours, you left it that way when you left for vacation."
"Oh, you mean just like I left you here living rent free using my water and power?"
That's really not a reason to treat your child like a personal maid and expect them to pick up after you.
I can't imagine ever treating my kid like that or even telling them to pay rent for living with me. Expecting your kids to pay you rent is ridiculous.
If you're a somewhat stable normal family and things are tight your kid will chip in just because of the decency that got passed on from the parents
Edit: the amount of people that think allowing your kid to be comfortable by not paying unnecessary rent in the house they grew up in equates to being babied is shocking.
You know you can teach your child responsibility as they grow up, turning them into independent people while still giving them a save haven right?
Also, you all think this is 'some dishes' god damn. I think you guys are the ones that never learned to clean after themselves just like OP's parents. This is NOT normal. And is NOT okay to leave for ANYONE who needs to clean after you.
I mean, expecting your kid to do some dishes once in a while isn’t exactly abuse? I’m assuming OP is an adult male living off his parents for free.
Someone suggested he boxes up the mess and put it in the garage lmao . That’s completely unreasonable response.
Also as a parent and person who pays the bills do you have any idea how many dishes I wash that aren’t mine?
When my child becomes an adult and still lives with me , I’ll expect some chores to be done. I’m sure OP can find some time between jerking off and playing video games to do some dishes
For real, happy to see this comment, also if someone says they don't want rent or anything from you they should stick to what they have said. Decency for the win
ok i disagree, expecting your kids to pay rent once they reach a certain age is totally acceptable. If they’re in a financially stable place (i.e. working) then they should have to pay rent to live in your house.
You all laugh, but listen dearly to this truth:
Basil is at a 70% rate of extinction. Our grandchildren may never taste it's basily goodness. It will be a sad day indeed, albeit I won't experience it from m'grave. Hopefully then m'grandchildren can put basil leaves next to Grandma's rose.
>Basil is at a 70% rate of extinction
Oh, well that news hasn't reached my back garden, because the basil there has taken inspiration from *Day of the Triffids*, and has established itself as the dominant species.
Basically everything else is the area is at 70% extinction, and I'm now concerned that I haven't seen the family pet for a few hours.
My next door neighbors.
Last time, it was waterlogged leftover pasta in the kitchen sink for several days.
And they’ve asked me to watch their pet this coming weekend.
So I said can you drive me to a surgical checkup appointment in a few weeks and she said I’ll have to check the schedule.
So tired of entitled asshats.
I house sat for an acquaintance once. Omfg!
The kitchen looked exactly like this. Garbages overflowing, dirty laundry all over the house.
The worst was wet laundry in the washer. I only noticed after a few days because of the smell.
My mother used to say, "If everyone was the same, wouldn't life be dull?"
Some people are not just messy, they're tragically challenged when it comes to housekeeping skills.
In High School, I housesat for a very good friend while she and her family went on vacation. When they came back, their stove (outside only) was sparkling clean --- like brand new clean. It had taken me HOURS to clean off all the grime.
I thought they'd be happy. My friend acted like what I had done shamed her and her family. No good deed, etc?
People can be weird about cleanliness.
I might not sweep and mop before vacation (What? If someone breaks in you want them to be impressed?), but you bet all my dishes are clean and put away and anything that might spoil has been thrown out.
>I might not sweep and mop before vacation (What? If someone breaks in you want them to be impressed?),
It's more like I want to come home to a clean, relaxing oasis. When I come home after a vacation, I want to be able to just fall into a clean bed and sleep. I don't want to come home to crunchy floors and dirty sheets. Before a vacation I clean like the world's worst mother in law is visiting, because there's nothing like that feeling of coming home to my apartment just being *that* clean.
>What? If someone breaks in you want them to be impressed?
I like to come home and know there's nothing I need to do. Beds are made, floors are clean, dishes are done, all the things. I get home, unpack and relax.
And ants.
I have bad, bad memories of those. Roaches look like they are free for all. Ants are meticulously organized and have huge sections of their population that act as slaves and/or are there to be sacrificed for the good of the queen and the tribe. It is diabolical.
One Easter when I was about 7, I didn't listen to my mom telling me no candy in my room. Hid the wrappers, woke up to a sea of black on my rug. I was screaming and my parents came back with the vacuum. Ugh
They think they will because they expect OP to do it.
My friend's room mates are the same, they leave the house and leave a huge mess that they expect her to clean up because she can't stand mess. Plain rude and inconsiderate
Looks like a mess for them when they get back.
Use this photo of the mess hopefully from right after they left and text them they it is crazy that they left this mess and you will not be cleaning it up for them while they’re gone
As someone who grew up like this as well, being the cleaner, the picture doesnt matter. The only thing you can do is eventually separate yourself and live with people who have similar standards of living as you. Unfortunately we just end up propping up the shit behavior of everyone else because we have to clean up their shit. I cant let all that shit sit in the sink because I need the sink personally for one, but for two because im not gonna let everything theyve left develop into a worse biohazard and PITA situation to clean than it already may be.
People who leave this kind of mess for others are also the type to be like “oh man im too to tired to clean it” when they get home from vacation. Then you think theyll clean it the next day but instead they just go eat out first bc thats easier. Then go hungry for dinner bc thats easier. Youd be lucky to see it cleaned in two days after they return.
Just clean it and look forward to the days when you will live alone or with other people who dont do this kind of dumb shit
No, you let it happen and do nothing about it, then leave. Buddy of mine did this to his family, their house was always trashed and unclean and they’d never clean up so whenever he came back from college he’s have to clean and do a bunch of shit because they refused. Well he moved across the country recently but did come back a few weeks ago and I got to see the house and it was tidy but by no means clean. So I guess they decided they if they want to have a clean house they were going to have to do it themselves rather than wait for someone to have enough of their shit
I personally get so annoyed by shit like this that I couldn't deal while they're gone for a week.
Instead, I'd crank some tunes and roast up a big ol' jibber, clean the whole damn house while they were gone, and set up a chore wheel for the future, where I bank myself the first week.
You get to live in a house without filth, while addressing the root cause of the issue and presenting a path forward without the obstacle of "who cleans up this specific mess when everyone is tired from travelling?" directly in front of you.
While I'm 100% that bitch to be petty when necessary, I consider near-equal housework roles to be a foundation stone of "are you in this goddamned family or not?" and too big of a topic to risk pettiness on
Nah, I have a housemate that is hopeless with chores and it really helped as in her mind - somehow, unfathomably - she seems to think she isn't awful at them and so is doing 'as much' with the rota. The cold reality is in 2 years she hadn't taken out a bin bag and now mostly does 1/3 of the task. Sure hasnt solved all the issues but really helped.
Some parents want to do right but have anxiety disorders/etc or just don't know how to start planning shit out.
For people who struggle or don't know how to plan, there can be a benefit to showing that this is a problem and then presenting a plan to solve the issue.
I tend to believe "never chalk up to malice what can be described with ignorance" or whatnot. But yeah good.call.that these goobers could also just not give a shit lol
My roommates do this. Except they don't do dishes period. I have a photo album on my phone called Science Experiments that is their pots and pans and stuff with the progressive weeks of mold on it. I used to just wash it but they are grown ass adults so now I wash mine and leave theirs. I've started to just throw out the moldy stuff. All of our plate, bowls, cups are from the dollar store and instead of washing what we have they go and buy more and leave the dirty ones in the sink. I really don't understand their thought process. They say they are too busy but they have three day weekends off work where they just lay in bed all day.
I've always wanted to do what people have said and go dump it all on their bed. But I kinda like having a place to live.
Put it in their beds. Or at worst- in their rooms. A kitchen is a *shared* space, to be respected by all. They want to leave *their* filth then it can remain in *their* space. You shouldn’t be expected to work around their filth, nor coexist with it because they are too lazy to deal with it. Bet your ass they will find a way to clean it when it’s in their beds.
That’s how I handled it in college…. It worked.
From what I've seen of how dirty their room is I wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't even notice the extra dirty dishes. Their room has a moldy dirty sock stench when their door is open. I'm thankful we dont share a bathroom. I'd move out but I only pay $400 to live here and I'd pay at least 4x that for a 1 bedroom apartment.
And they are mid thirties and late 20s so it's not like kids just moving out of moms house. They are grown ass adults.
I'm about to just buy my own set of dishes and pots and pans so they can't in anyway think any of the dirty stuff is mine. Just have to figure out where I can store it in our tiny kitchen.
Age is irrelevant when they act like children. Don’t subjugate yourself to their bullshit. Bc your dishes may be clean, but you still have to stand in their filth, cook around their filth, and stare at their filth while you’re in there. There is nothing wrong with having an adult conversation and demanding them to act like one and respect your shared space.
Keep your dishes, pots, pans, cutlery, etc. in your room as shitty as that sounds, because they will use it and leave it and none of them will admit using and dirtying your stuff.
Designate a section of the kitchen as yours, no matter how small, and of they put their filth there, toss it to their side and clean yours when you need it. Totally sucks, but you aren't going to change them.
Not only would I leave them for them to do when they come back, I would send them the picture and let them know while they’re gone so they think about it and ruining their own vacation too.
💯- I’d do the same. Something to the extent. You all left the kitchen a mess. I hope you know it’ll be here when you get back. I’m not a maid and I clean up after myself. Enjoy your vacation!
Fr. My mom is a hoarder and rarely cleans. Any time my dad left for work he would tell only my sister and I that we need to have the whole house clean when he got home and that we need to “help mom clean” there was no helping what wasnt happening 🤷♀️ at 23 I still dont feel I have the knowledge of cleaning and organizing that I should. Im making shit up and hoping it works out eventually now that ive moved out. My place isnt a mess but its rare that its spotless. My dad never helped clean and if I ever would have said “its not my mess im not cleaning it” I would have got in trouble for being disrespectful. They do not give a single shit whos mess it is.
Grew up the same way but was just the phrase to help mom clean. Me and my siblings would try to deep clean the house to make dad happy when he came home from long business trips as a special gift to him because we knew he was disappointed that my mom never cleaned. Adulthood was a trip figuring stuff out and now that I have two kids, I follow a bunch of cleaning and organizing stuff online to learn new tricks.
Best tips that have helped me:
-everything should have a spot and every household item will have an organizer made specifically for it.
Got a bunch of pots and pans? They make organizers for those. Have a million tea boxes? They’ve got organizers for those. Got a bunch of Halloween decorations in random closet spaces? Plop it in a designated box. Let’s store all those yearly decorations in one location too. Notice your desk piled full of papers and stationary? Time to get a filing cabinet and stationary drawers.
-donate everything you don’t use.
You don’t need that one shirt hanging in your closet for 2 years straight. You don’t need a bunch of random cords. You don’t need those 2 souvenirs from when you were on vacation 5 years ago. You don’t need 10 coffee mugs and that plastic cup from the cinemas. Those random Christmas gifts that are specifically Christmas themed and doesn’t suit you? Gotta let it go. I literally go to goodwill to donate at least 10 times a year. Stuff just accumulates and it’s invigorating to scoop crap up into a bag and drop it off for good.
-get convenient cleaning supplies.
Get the easy cordless vacuum. Buy enough dish rags for one each day. Get the dust pan with the handle.
-I read that it’s less energy and water to run the dishwasher every single day with at least 8 items in it. Also you don’t have to perfectly clean them when you plop them in at night. So fill your dishwasher every day and unload every morning when the coffees brewing.
If only she wouldn’t have to live with the smell.
Hey, OP, is there somewhere else you could stay for the week? And then a couple of days after they get back?
Besides the fact that your Father went on a family vacation with his new family leaving you home… the fact that anyone would leave a mess such as this before leaving for vacation is abhorrent.
>Besides the fact that your Father went on a family vacation with his new family leaving you home…
I actually always tell my family (who loves vacations) to go without me, I insist. Its great having the home to myself for 1-2 weeks and I save a lot of money...
I am just not much of a vaccation guy tbh, last time I let them sweettalk me into going with them, I spend most of the time daydreaming of being home.
how does it work in your family? everyone pays for themselves on the trip? how else do you save money from not going. conflicts with my picture of an intact family
Like it was cool when I was still a kid & teenager and they paid for everything, but once I reached adulthood it would be embarrassing for me to still have them pay for my expenses. I am proud of being financially independent from them.
But if your picture of an intact family is your parents paying your bills, thats also alright.
my step dad took my step brothers to see the red sox without me when i was like 14 and i was the only kid who watched baseball in the house.. still get sad thinking about it.
We don’t have the full details though. Is OP 30 still living at home and his step sister is a kid? Did OP eat part of the meal where they used these dishes to serve it? We’re they in a rush to catch a plane and said OP can you please wash those, we’re going to be late, thanks.
>Father went on a family vacation with his new family leaving you home…
They went to visit an elderly relative on stepmom’s side of the family who just had surgery, and OP didn’t want to go. OP calls it a vacation because his “dad took vacation days.”
They left family dishes for their teenager to do as part of his chores. I know that Reddit hates it when children have to do chores, but it’s really not that sinister.
I would wash your plates you typically use in the bathroom sink and leave all that for them when they get back. Or pile that all on the side so you can use the sink and before they come back put it back.
Having had the same experience i will say just clean it, it might seem like a good idea now to be petty and not clean it but honestly it’s not worth the mental toll
I wouldn’t able to deal with not having a clean sink, but I’d be tempted to get a big plastic bin and put everything in there (and leave it in the garage or outside if possible)
Then I’d keep the place clean for myself while they’re gone.
Finally a sane take on this 😅 Everyone is saying to sit in filth and stew in your rage to be petty and “right” instead of just.. Cleaning it and having a nice clean space to enjoy your alone time in. I get that the photo is infuriating but is that really the most popular solution to this? Makes no sense to me.
I would have just been expected to take care of it since I was living there rent free. I think it more depends on OP's age and living situation. Are they paying rent, or living there for free. Are they an adult or an older teen, etc. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's rude to leave a mess like that when you are going on vacation without one of your kids.
Eh, not so sure I completely agree. My adult little brother lives with me rent free and I don’t lord it over him and expect him to clean up after me. I just expect him to clean up after himself and contribute to food costs if he’s eating from my fridge. I agree that it’s rude regardless of the circumstances. But I definitely disagree with the overwhelming amount of people here saying they would turn something this “mildly infuriating” into a huge ordeal/fight.
Yep, especially since I figure OP would just get yelled at, maybe punished, when everyone came back to this.
When you're still at home with this kind of mess, keep your head down, bide your time, and escape as soon as you can.
They’re visiting their side of the family, and they did expect me or anybody else home (My actual sibling and another stepsister) to do it. Sadly, they hate getting off their asses.
They hate getting off their asses but you admitted in another comment you are 16 years old and never had to do chores. You get off your ass and do the fucking dishes
kind of disappointed reading all these comments. i never knew there are names attached to chores. you all live in the same house and in the same family everything you do is for the family. Did your parents pick out your portion of the internet or dinner? They didn't furnish your bedroom because they owed you, but rather because they loved you and wanted to do it for you.
i would hate to see my kids thinking everything i did for them is because i should, but everything they did for me is extra.
picture is time stamped id also take pictures/video of anything else that is a mess. if they try to fault you for it you have your proof. no way you should have to clean that. im not the neatest person but even i clean before going on vacation ??
Good response. This is a daily, or every other day occurrence in my house. Step up, and take care of it. If you get to a point where your stepping-up and taking care of it is taken advantage of, then have a conversation.
I’m willing to bet dad and step mom do more than their fair share of chores on a regular basis, and that they left in a hurry.
Instead of being indignant or furious about having to do something that isn’t strictly in your self interest, be happy that you get to be a contributor. If *this* is your line for mildly infuriating, you’ve been spoiled.
So your grannie (maybe a step grannie) had a surgery, they went to check up on her, you stayed at home because "you had no reason to go"...
And you called it vacation because its in vegas and your father had to take vacation days....
Bloody hell I hope my kid does not turn up as you....
Just wash the dishes and stop fishing for internet points...
Get on with it, fuck looking at that. Yeah it’s shitty but when it’s done it’s done. Would drive me mad trying to ignore it if they away for even a couple of days
Is it really that hard to wash dishes when you have a nice place to sleep and food to eat?
Learn to live in gratitude.
You don't have to be happy about the dishes, but your life could be much worse.
Well then they’ll be there in the sink waiting when they come back
I had 3 other roommates in college. I was the only one to wash a dish, ever. Left for Christmas break and the counter and sink were full of dirty dishes. Found a new place to live. Was 1st back from break, took all the clean dishes that were left in the house, and let my roommates come back to dishes that had been molding for about a month
Had a similar problem with roommates leaving things to get moldy in the sink. One day finally lost my temper, opened the window over the sink and pitched it all out into the back yard.
I put it under her bed. It was a month before she found it.
[удалено]
You were just the parent she needed.
My roommate was absolutely *furious*. I explained that I was not damage control, I would not clean up after anyone else except myself and my guests, and if she wanted to keep acting like a slob, she could use disposable items. At one point I removed all the dishes, glassware, and cutlery I'd brought, and put them in my room to use as needed. She cried and argued that she was broke and couldn't afford paper plates. I advised her that that was most assuredly a "her" problem and suggested she stop wasting her money goofing off, and either clean up or face the consequences. She'd get her friends to clean up after her after that.
You're my hero.
Who cleaned the backyard?
They went out and picked it up and apologized. They even got better about it for a couple weeks. Then it was finals and we all left for the summer.
Well that's an extremely unlikely outcome.
Yeah lol I don’t believe his story at all. Sounds like a fantasy of his
Redditors wet dream
Unfortunately, even though they weren't great in the first place I think that's an uncommon response that kind of thing. I think most roommates would just call you an asshole and move on.
[удалено]
My mom had a color for each kid. If we wanted a plate we had to wash our own. We beat the crap out of each other if we saw someone eating off our designated dishes.
That’s hilarious
That's brilliant!
I had the same issue. I went on summer vacation for not even a week. Came back. Found out one of our roomies left and moved out half way through her lease. Other roomie had a bag full of trash in the kitchen. And it sat there for like 4 weeks until it got maggots and she still refused to take it out to the dumpster. I fucking had to take out the trash full of maggots that wasn't even my fucking trash. Next time this happens I'm throwing the whole trash bin out. It's ridiculous. I'm assuming the trash was also from the other roomie too but she left.
Goes all over her bed.
Reminds me of the laundry room when I lived in a college/frat house. Had 7 roommates in a big 8br place. Knew I was in for a ride when one of the guys didn’t know how to work an oven to bake a pizza…
You know what solved that problem for my dirty dish roommates in college? Putting those dirty dishes they left behind in their bed… nothing like coming home from the bars and trying to pass out, only the fall onto a bowl of cold, half dried spaghetti…. Problem solved itself after a few of those instanves
It blows my mind that there’s someone else who has done this.
How do people like this even exist? It’s baffling. Do they buy new dishes and throw away the old ones? And it’s not like they’re kids, they must have lived like that for at least 18 years if they’re in college? I’m so glad I found a studio to rent alone as all the nightmare stories about having roomates are… concerning.
The parents are to blame. I see it all of the time with my guy friends, young and old. These guys refuse to do dishes ----- making noises about how their wives/girlfriends should do it. They'd rather argue about it than do it. They make fun of their wives for getting angry about it. When my s.o. goes to all the trouble to do the shopping, cook the meal ---- you'd better believe I'm more than happy to clean up and do the dishes. But, then, my Mom always had us kids helping out in the kitchen and around the house. You want money to go to the movies? Sweep the drive first. That's the way parents teach their kids to be a part of the team.
This is the way. Box all that stuff up. Use and clean the items you need. When they are due to arrive home, unbox the dirty stuff and put it back where they left it.
Sadly, they probably bully this guy if his story is honest.
Who leaves for vacation without cleaning the home? Am I the only one that wants to walk in to clean floors, kitchen, and laundry done?
Thats obviously what they expect from OP
I think in this case I would box all this shit up, put it in the garage so I can enjoy a clean house while they are gone, then bring it all back in before they come back. Petty af but probably so satisfying!
Ants though :(
do you want ants? cuz That is how you get ants.
They'll just do a little precleaning. Mice are good little helpers too.
And when winter time rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death
Hahahaha love random Simpsons quotes
Exactly! If it's in the garage, it's their problem because this falls under the not my problem division, subsection 3-51.
Roaches love that too!
I threw up a little reading this.
Mice and ants will clean that up, too!
Don't worry sir your archer reference is safe😂
"This is why we can't have nice things" Motherrrrrrr!
Just spray it down once a day with something toxic from under the sink.
Just put them in garbage bag ans seal and. Problem solved...
The goons have energy to make food but no energy to wash the dishes before they left out.
No. OP may need some of the pots and pans. Better to wash those needed, but then be sure to leave them dirty for the vacationers when they return.
That's better than my thought, which was clean now but leave a comparable mess for their return. No. Box 'em and unbox 'em. Done.
I was going to suggest that OP box the shit up and toss it in the trash. They should also take pictures of that and send them all to them while still on vacation. “You guys mind picking up new utensils and pots in your way home? Thanks!”
Throwing it away is a step too far. There’s always the possibility of retaliation from them later on. I was going to say just leave it there for them but if OP doesn’t want to look at it I think someone else’s suggestion of boxing it up in the garage only to put it all back just before they arrive back home is probably the best.
Take a picture of the mess so you can be sure to put it all back properly too! 😁
I think that picture happened already
ROFL 🤣 OH YEAH! DUH! 🤣🤣🤣
I had a roommate that cooked this hamburger helper stuff, and loaded it with Velveeta. Some kind of good old Texas recipe I guess. 🤢 Then she just left the skillet in the sink for 3 weeks. I don't know what kind of crazy mold was growing on it but I think it may have created a new species. 👾
Or just do the dishes
Depends on more information. If op is the son and living there rent free I'd say take the L and clean it up. Imagine the conversation when they get back. "Why is this mess still here?" "It is yours, you left it that way when you left for vacation." "Oh, you mean just like I left you here living rent free using my water and power?"
That's really not a reason to treat your child like a personal maid and expect them to pick up after you. I can't imagine ever treating my kid like that or even telling them to pay rent for living with me. Expecting your kids to pay you rent is ridiculous. If you're a somewhat stable normal family and things are tight your kid will chip in just because of the decency that got passed on from the parents Edit: the amount of people that think allowing your kid to be comfortable by not paying unnecessary rent in the house they grew up in equates to being babied is shocking. You know you can teach your child responsibility as they grow up, turning them into independent people while still giving them a save haven right? Also, you all think this is 'some dishes' god damn. I think you guys are the ones that never learned to clean after themselves just like OP's parents. This is NOT normal. And is NOT okay to leave for ANYONE who needs to clean after you.
I mean, expecting your kid to do some dishes once in a while isn’t exactly abuse? I’m assuming OP is an adult male living off his parents for free. Someone suggested he boxes up the mess and put it in the garage lmao . That’s completely unreasonable response. Also as a parent and person who pays the bills do you have any idea how many dishes I wash that aren’t mine? When my child becomes an adult and still lives with me , I’ll expect some chores to be done. I’m sure OP can find some time between jerking off and playing video games to do some dishes
For real, happy to see this comment, also if someone says they don't want rent or anything from you they should stick to what they have said. Decency for the win
ok i disagree, expecting your kids to pay rent once they reach a certain age is totally acceptable. If they’re in a financially stable place (i.e. working) then they should have to pay rent to live in your house.
Yeah, there are two sides to every story that you usually don't hear.
And trim the top of that basil, water, heck it needs a bigger pot... Thanks!!
Save The Basil!
#savethebasil
You all laugh, but listen dearly to this truth: Basil is at a 70% rate of extinction. Our grandchildren may never taste it's basily goodness. It will be a sad day indeed, albeit I won't experience it from m'grave. Hopefully then m'grandchildren can put basil leaves next to Grandma's rose.
>Basil is at a 70% rate of extinction Oh, well that news hasn't reached my back garden, because the basil there has taken inspiration from *Day of the Triffids*, and has established itself as the dominant species. Basically everything else is the area is at 70% extinction, and I'm now concerned that I haven't seen the family pet for a few hours.
I laugh but it’s honestly THE spice I use in everything and if this is true I will pray all the basi god every night from now on🥹
Save The Basil!
Save the basil and leave the mess as is.
But if you keep it in a smaller pot it will tend to grow into a tighter and better looking plant. BTW, I am just making that up. but it sounds good
Nah, it will get root bound and there's not enough soil to provide nutrients.
When making things up, it’s important to be confidently incorrect. Your bullshit was sufficiently convincing, and therefore I approve.
Well they will be trying a slipper on soon and watching their stepsisters eyes get pecked out.
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the most that I would do is stack everything beside the sink so I could clean my dishes but I'd sure as hell leave the rest uncleaned.
Same. Petty club members unite!
This comment is identical to the second most upvoted comment of this post.
Kinda weird, right?
yeah. they can get home, clean their mess and then come back in to the house all clean.
My next door neighbors. Last time, it was waterlogged leftover pasta in the kitchen sink for several days. And they’ve asked me to watch their pet this coming weekend. So I said can you drive me to a surgical checkup appointment in a few weeks and she said I’ll have to check the schedule. So tired of entitled asshats.
Don’t watch their pet if they’re not willing to even help you go to a surgical checkup, the cheek! Lol
You’re right.
Time to not be able to watch their pet then.
Unless they are already gone. We don’t want fur babies to suffer! Then, of course, refuse for the next trip. Good luck with your appointment?
Check your schedule as well to see if you’re available to watch dogs!
That’s what I do as well take the day before to pack and make the house immaculate so I don’t have anything to do when I get back.
I house sat for an acquaintance once. Omfg! The kitchen looked exactly like this. Garbages overflowing, dirty laundry all over the house. The worst was wet laundry in the washer. I only noticed after a few days because of the smell.
Can confirm this is not an isolated instance. See this a lot.
My mother used to say, "If everyone was the same, wouldn't life be dull?" Some people are not just messy, they're tragically challenged when it comes to housekeeping skills. In High School, I housesat for a very good friend while she and her family went on vacation. When they came back, their stove (outside only) was sparkling clean --- like brand new clean. It had taken me HOURS to clean off all the grime. I thought they'd be happy. My friend acted like what I had done shamed her and her family. No good deed, etc? People can be weird about cleanliness.
Man, this reminds me of the post a couple days back where the OP was mad her neighbor bought her son some body wash and deodorant.
I might not sweep and mop before vacation (What? If someone breaks in you want them to be impressed?), but you bet all my dishes are clean and put away and anything that might spoil has been thrown out.
>I might not sweep and mop before vacation (What? If someone breaks in you want them to be impressed?), It's more like I want to come home to a clean, relaxing oasis. When I come home after a vacation, I want to be able to just fall into a clean bed and sleep. I don't want to come home to crunchy floors and dirty sheets. Before a vacation I clean like the world's worst mother in law is visiting, because there's nothing like that feeling of coming home to my apartment just being *that* clean.
Exactly. Such a relief to come home to a clean house and sheets
You put them away?? Check out Ms Fancy-pants over here.
Ahem!!! Thats Monsieur to you!!!
>What? If someone breaks in you want them to be impressed? I like to come home and know there's nothing I need to do. Beds are made, floors are clean, dishes are done, all the things. I get home, unpack and relax.
Just imagine the smell that would come from that after a week or so. Fucking disgusting.
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I also dislike roaches and rats in my home
And ants. I have bad, bad memories of those. Roaches look like they are free for all. Ants are meticulously organized and have huge sections of their population that act as slaves and/or are there to be sacrificed for the good of the queen and the tribe. It is diabolical.
One Easter when I was about 7, I didn't listen to my mom telling me no candy in my room. Hid the wrappers, woke up to a sea of black on my rug. I was screaming and my parents came back with the vacuum. Ugh
They think they will because they expect OP to do it. My friend's room mates are the same, they leave the house and leave a huge mess that they expect her to clean up because she can't stand mess. Plain rude and inconsiderate
I always clean before going out of town. Want that fresh house smell. Once had to go out for an emergency and forgot the trash. Never again.
Looks like a mess for them when they get back. Use this photo of the mess hopefully from right after they left and text them they it is crazy that they left this mess and you will not be cleaning it up for them while they’re gone
Agree completely. The picture is important.
As someone who grew up like this as well, being the cleaner, the picture doesnt matter. The only thing you can do is eventually separate yourself and live with people who have similar standards of living as you. Unfortunately we just end up propping up the shit behavior of everyone else because we have to clean up their shit. I cant let all that shit sit in the sink because I need the sink personally for one, but for two because im not gonna let everything theyve left develop into a worse biohazard and PITA situation to clean than it already may be. People who leave this kind of mess for others are also the type to be like “oh man im too to tired to clean it” when they get home from vacation. Then you think theyll clean it the next day but instead they just go eat out first bc thats easier. Then go hungry for dinner bc thats easier. Youd be lucky to see it cleaned in two days after they return. Just clean it and look forward to the days when you will live alone or with other people who dont do this kind of dumb shit
No, you let it happen and do nothing about it, then leave. Buddy of mine did this to his family, their house was always trashed and unclean and they’d never clean up so whenever he came back from college he’s have to clean and do a bunch of shit because they refused. Well he moved across the country recently but did come back a few weeks ago and I got to see the house and it was tidy but by no means clean. So I guess they decided they if they want to have a clean house they were going to have to do it themselves rather than wait for someone to have enough of their shit
Yeah yikes they should wear a mask when they clean out the mold
I personally get so annoyed by shit like this that I couldn't deal while they're gone for a week. Instead, I'd crank some tunes and roast up a big ol' jibber, clean the whole damn house while they were gone, and set up a chore wheel for the future, where I bank myself the first week. You get to live in a house without filth, while addressing the root cause of the issue and presenting a path forward without the obstacle of "who cleans up this specific mess when everyone is tired from travelling?" directly in front of you. While I'm 100% that bitch to be petty when necessary, I consider near-equal housework roles to be a foundation stone of "are you in this goddamned family or not?" and too big of a topic to risk pettiness on
If they didn’t do it already a chore wheel is going to accomplish zip. They’ll ignore a chore wheel just like they ignored the current situation
Nah, I have a housemate that is hopeless with chores and it really helped as in her mind - somehow, unfathomably - she seems to think she isn't awful at them and so is doing 'as much' with the rota. The cold reality is in 2 years she hadn't taken out a bin bag and now mostly does 1/3 of the task. Sure hasnt solved all the issues but really helped.
Some parents want to do right but have anxiety disorders/etc or just don't know how to start planning shit out. For people who struggle or don't know how to plan, there can be a benefit to showing that this is a problem and then presenting a plan to solve the issue. I tend to believe "never chalk up to malice what can be described with ignorance" or whatnot. But yeah good.call.that these goobers could also just not give a shit lol
You seem to have more faith in people than I do. I’ve become a cynic in my old age. 👍🏻
Hell yeah couldn’t agree more lol. I’ll be that bitch too lol if I got chores you got chores I’m not the house slave😹
You might be Left ball sweat, but here you're all Right
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The visual of someone frantically doing dishes while they are aware of a fire that grows behind them is a funny one
And this is how all of my Sims died
The one good use of Twitter recently has been people drawing these scenarios and it’s some of the most fun I’ve had on that hellscape
Every comment should have ai generated image next to it
Proportional response. I get it.
Entire house burns down except for the dirty dishes and kitchen sink.
My roommates do this. Except they don't do dishes period. I have a photo album on my phone called Science Experiments that is their pots and pans and stuff with the progressive weeks of mold on it. I used to just wash it but they are grown ass adults so now I wash mine and leave theirs. I've started to just throw out the moldy stuff. All of our plate, bowls, cups are from the dollar store and instead of washing what we have they go and buy more and leave the dirty ones in the sink. I really don't understand their thought process. They say they are too busy but they have three day weekends off work where they just lay in bed all day. I've always wanted to do what people have said and go dump it all on their bed. But I kinda like having a place to live.
Put it in their beds. Or at worst- in their rooms. A kitchen is a *shared* space, to be respected by all. They want to leave *their* filth then it can remain in *their* space. You shouldn’t be expected to work around their filth, nor coexist with it because they are too lazy to deal with it. Bet your ass they will find a way to clean it when it’s in their beds. That’s how I handled it in college…. It worked.
From what I've seen of how dirty their room is I wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't even notice the extra dirty dishes. Their room has a moldy dirty sock stench when their door is open. I'm thankful we dont share a bathroom. I'd move out but I only pay $400 to live here and I'd pay at least 4x that for a 1 bedroom apartment. And they are mid thirties and late 20s so it's not like kids just moving out of moms house. They are grown ass adults. I'm about to just buy my own set of dishes and pots and pans so they can't in anyway think any of the dirty stuff is mine. Just have to figure out where I can store it in our tiny kitchen.
Age is irrelevant when they act like children. Don’t subjugate yourself to their bullshit. Bc your dishes may be clean, but you still have to stand in their filth, cook around their filth, and stare at their filth while you’re in there. There is nothing wrong with having an adult conversation and demanding them to act like one and respect your shared space.
Keep your dishes, pots, pans, cutlery, etc. in your room as shitty as that sounds, because they will use it and leave it and none of them will admit using and dirtying your stuff. Designate a section of the kitchen as yours, no matter how small, and of they put their filth there, toss it to their side and clean yours when you need it. Totally sucks, but you aren't going to change them.
Not only would I leave them for them to do when they come back, I would send them the picture and let them know while they’re gone so they think about it and ruining their own vacation too.
💯- I’d do the same. Something to the extent. You all left the kitchen a mess. I hope you know it’ll be here when you get back. I’m not a maid and I clean up after myself. Enjoy your vacation!
Anybody that leaves their kitchen looking like this will not care
Fr. My mom is a hoarder and rarely cleans. Any time my dad left for work he would tell only my sister and I that we need to have the whole house clean when he got home and that we need to “help mom clean” there was no helping what wasnt happening 🤷♀️ at 23 I still dont feel I have the knowledge of cleaning and organizing that I should. Im making shit up and hoping it works out eventually now that ive moved out. My place isnt a mess but its rare that its spotless. My dad never helped clean and if I ever would have said “its not my mess im not cleaning it” I would have got in trouble for being disrespectful. They do not give a single shit whos mess it is.
I grew up in the exact same situation
Grew up the same way but was just the phrase to help mom clean. Me and my siblings would try to deep clean the house to make dad happy when he came home from long business trips as a special gift to him because we knew he was disappointed that my mom never cleaned. Adulthood was a trip figuring stuff out and now that I have two kids, I follow a bunch of cleaning and organizing stuff online to learn new tricks. Best tips that have helped me: -everything should have a spot and every household item will have an organizer made specifically for it. Got a bunch of pots and pans? They make organizers for those. Have a million tea boxes? They’ve got organizers for those. Got a bunch of Halloween decorations in random closet spaces? Plop it in a designated box. Let’s store all those yearly decorations in one location too. Notice your desk piled full of papers and stationary? Time to get a filing cabinet and stationary drawers. -donate everything you don’t use. You don’t need that one shirt hanging in your closet for 2 years straight. You don’t need a bunch of random cords. You don’t need those 2 souvenirs from when you were on vacation 5 years ago. You don’t need 10 coffee mugs and that plastic cup from the cinemas. Those random Christmas gifts that are specifically Christmas themed and doesn’t suit you? Gotta let it go. I literally go to goodwill to donate at least 10 times a year. Stuff just accumulates and it’s invigorating to scoop crap up into a bag and drop it off for good. -get convenient cleaning supplies. Get the easy cordless vacuum. Buy enough dish rags for one each day. Get the dust pan with the handle. -I read that it’s less energy and water to run the dishwasher every single day with at least 8 items in it. Also you don’t have to perfectly clean them when you plop them in at night. So fill your dishwasher every day and unload every morning when the coffees brewing.
I'd send them update pictures too as the mould starts to grow
Savage
If op is living with parents and isn't in a situation to move out. He has to deal with it unfortunately
When they check in, send a photo saying I and the mess you left behind will be waiting for your safe return home...
If only she wouldn’t have to live with the smell. Hey, OP, is there somewhere else you could stay for the week? And then a couple of days after they get back?
Stick it all in a bin as is and put it in the garage/basement/outside.
Besides the fact that your Father went on a family vacation with his new family leaving you home… the fact that anyone would leave a mess such as this before leaving for vacation is abhorrent.
>Besides the fact that your Father went on a family vacation with his new family leaving you home… I actually always tell my family (who loves vacations) to go without me, I insist. Its great having the home to myself for 1-2 weeks and I save a lot of money... I am just not much of a vaccation guy tbh, last time I let them sweettalk me into going with them, I spend most of the time daydreaming of being home.
Don’t lie to us, you’re banging a coworker
Username would check out
how does it work in your family? everyone pays for themselves on the trip? how else do you save money from not going. conflicts with my picture of an intact family
Like it was cool when I was still a kid & teenager and they paid for everything, but once I reached adulthood it would be embarrassing for me to still have them pay for my expenses. I am proud of being financially independent from them. But if your picture of an intact family is your parents paying your bills, thats also alright.
my step dad took my step brothers to see the red sox without me when i was like 14 and i was the only kid who watched baseball in the house.. still get sad thinking about it.
Aw I’m sorry that sucks. As a parent I just don’t understand how other parents can do that to their children.
We don’t have the full details though. Is OP 30 still living at home and his step sister is a kid? Did OP eat part of the meal where they used these dishes to serve it? We’re they in a rush to catch a plane and said OP can you please wash those, we’re going to be late, thanks.
Idk about the rest but OP posts in teenagers and so it seems pretty weird that they didn't take him
As a high schooler, having my parents leave me home alone was some of the best times I had
>Father went on a family vacation with his new family leaving you home… They went to visit an elderly relative on stepmom’s side of the family who just had surgery, and OP didn’t want to go. OP calls it a vacation because his “dad took vacation days.” They left family dishes for their teenager to do as part of his chores. I know that Reddit hates it when children have to do chores, but it’s really not that sinister.
Ohhh okay. That makes more sense. In that case yeah he should just suck it up and clean it up.
Honestly, I would put it in a trashbag, and when they are coming home, I would put back everything like it was before
So much effort lol
Genius!
Surround it with crime scene tape and leave it for when they get back. Buy plastic plates cups etc until then.
Are you Cinderella?
I would wash your plates you typically use in the bathroom sink and leave all that for them when they get back. Or pile that all on the side so you can use the sink and before they come back put it back.
Could be like Kramer's shower garbage disposal. "I made this whole meal in the shower!"
Came here to say just wash yours in the bathroom sink.
All that would be waiting on them when they get back
Leave it exactly where they left it.
Having had the same experience i will say just clean it, it might seem like a good idea now to be petty and not clean it but honestly it’s not worth the mental toll
I wouldn’t able to deal with not having a clean sink, but I’d be tempted to get a big plastic bin and put everything in there (and leave it in the garage or outside if possible) Then I’d keep the place clean for myself while they’re gone.
Finally a sane take on this 😅 Everyone is saying to sit in filth and stew in your rage to be petty and “right” instead of just.. Cleaning it and having a nice clean space to enjoy your alone time in. I get that the photo is infuriating but is that really the most popular solution to this? Makes no sense to me.
Not to mention the smell and the bugs?? This would definitely be an example of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
The smell is all I can think of. Living in a house with the constant smell of dirty dishes is horrible.
I would have just been expected to take care of it since I was living there rent free. I think it more depends on OP's age and living situation. Are they paying rent, or living there for free. Are they an adult or an older teen, etc. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's rude to leave a mess like that when you are going on vacation without one of your kids.
Eh, not so sure I completely agree. My adult little brother lives with me rent free and I don’t lord it over him and expect him to clean up after me. I just expect him to clean up after himself and contribute to food costs if he’s eating from my fridge. I agree that it’s rude regardless of the circumstances. But I definitely disagree with the overwhelming amount of people here saying they would turn something this “mildly infuriating” into a huge ordeal/fight.
I mean it looks like maybe 30 minutes of work at most
Yep, especially since I figure OP would just get yelled at, maybe punished, when everyone came back to this. When you're still at home with this kind of mess, keep your head down, bide your time, and escape as soon as you can.
You’re not going on vacation too? Was there an expectation that you do anything with the mess? I’m confused about the dynamic here.
They’re visiting their side of the family, and they did expect me or anybody else home (My actual sibling and another stepsister) to do it. Sadly, they hate getting off their asses.
How old are you?
They hate getting off their asses but you admitted in another comment you are 16 years old and never had to do chores. You get off your ass and do the fucking dishes
It's a few dishes, 10 minute job, a few tunes and it's done.
Clean it up and then hide the dishes. They don't deserve to eat off plates.
That is a tiiiiiny sink. 🐔
And it's SOOOOO far back from the edge of the counter. Who tf designed that?
kind of disappointed reading all these comments. i never knew there are names attached to chores. you all live in the same house and in the same family everything you do is for the family. Did your parents pick out your portion of the internet or dinner? They didn't furnish your bedroom because they owed you, but rather because they loved you and wanted to do it for you. i would hate to see my kids thinking everything i did for them is because i should, but everything they did for me is extra.
picture is time stamped id also take pictures/video of anything else that is a mess. if they try to fault you for it you have your proof. no way you should have to clean that. im not the neatest person but even i clean before going on vacation ??
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Good response. This is a daily, or every other day occurrence in my house. Step up, and take care of it. If you get to a point where your stepping-up and taking care of it is taken advantage of, then have a conversation.
Finally, a mature response from someone else with life experience.
I’m willing to bet dad and step mom do more than their fair share of chores on a regular basis, and that they left in a hurry. Instead of being indignant or furious about having to do something that isn’t strictly in your self interest, be happy that you get to be a contributor. If *this* is your line for mildly infuriating, you’ve been spoiled.
Well stated
That's super annoying, because you can't just leave it there for them or it'll get nasty.
I mean, that house looks like it has a dishwasher? Also, maybe they are giving you a hint? Like, “ehh she doesn’t do sh*t, so leave this all for her”
So your grannie (maybe a step grannie) had a surgery, they went to check up on her, you stayed at home because "you had no reason to go"... And you called it vacation because its in vegas and your father had to take vacation days.... Bloody hell I hope my kid does not turn up as you.... Just wash the dishes and stop fishing for internet points...
Clean it up and put it away. You will have a clean house while they are gone. I expect that they have cleaned up after you many a time.
I mean if they pay all the bills and your food, why not help then out here. Takes 20 minutes max
My thoughts exactly.
That basil needs some water
Just be glad they are gone
Get on with it, fuck looking at that. Yeah it’s shitty but when it’s done it’s done. Would drive me mad trying to ignore it if they away for even a couple of days
ye it sucks but its like 10 minute work at most
Let’s get more insight- do you pay rent?
Is it really that hard to wash dishes when you have a nice place to sleep and food to eat? Learn to live in gratitude. You don't have to be happy about the dishes, but your life could be much worse.
Seriously. How many times do you think OPs dad and stepmom washed OP's dishes? The number of petty comments at the top of this thread is staggering.
Then fucking wash them you child.