We all know how busy life can get, and sometimes, the first thing to get pushed to the wayside is cleaning. When you're juggling a million things and also trying to keep an active dating life going, doing heaps of dishes can wait, right? Well, not necessarily. If you've ever asked yourself, "Do dates care about your messy apartment?", the answer could very well be yes.
According to a study done by online furniture company Wayfair, messiness could be affecting your love life way more than you think. The retailer surveyed 2,000 people to learn about their biggest home-related deal breakers, and among other things, the study revealed that both men and women are on the same page about their specific no-go's. "Over half of our respondents rank the ick factors — a bad smell, dirty bathrooms, poor plumbing — a major concern," read the Wayfair study. "Dirty laundry and dingy sheets are also deal breakers for nearly half."
To be fair, I do think it's important to make a clear distinction between a cluttered living room, and a week's worth of food-crusted dishes overflowing from the kitchen sink. And as an individual who's definitely not afraid to let things around the house get cluttered AF, living in filth is very different thing! Once upon a time, when I was visiting a date's shared apartment, I came across a scene that truly shook me to my absolute core. There were numerous dirty dishes stacked with food still on them, in the bathroom of all places. Needless to say, I ran out of there faster than a cartoon character and never looked back.
It's no surprise that gross bathrooms are not OK for some people, but according to prominent LA-based relationship therapist Dr. Gary Brown, the exact impact it could have on your relationship varies from person to person. “Many people do care about a messy bathroom, and in particular if the bathroom is also dirty,” Dr. Brown previously told Elite Daily. “Other people don't find it to be a big issue if there is a bit of dust or a washcloth that is not hung up. Overall, it really depends upon someone's tolerance for messiness.” However, he also agreed that "messy" and "dirty" aren't in the same ballpark. “Messy is one thing but dirty can pose potential health issues,” said Dr. Brown. “Dirty bathrooms are a breeding ground for bacteria and mold.”
Even if your space falls into a less condemnable category of messy, according to marriage and relationship coach Lesli Doares, this oversight still speaks volumes. "If your place is messy, the initial first impression is that you don't care enough about your environment to take care of it," Doares told the Chicago Tribune. "That's a reflection of your character and what matters to you." While the exact implications may differ depending on the qualities that are most important to the person you're dating, you never know when putting in the effort to keep things tidy could make a difference. So, before you rush out to meet up with a date, setting aside some time to make sure your living space looks presentable is never a bad move.
