A tidy mind?

I think I have a gene missing. I am an exceptionally untidy person by nature - the trouble i seem to have is that my messiness seems to happen when I'm not paying attention.

Take yesterday for example, i spent the entire morning cleaning and clearing. Four solid hours of shifting, straightening, dusting, washing and by the end of it the house looked reasonable. Not anally perfect and certainly not spotless but acceptable enough to welcome our guests for the weekend.

I went out yesterday afternoon (so unable to mess things up) and when I returned home with Sebastian, the house already had signs that the not-so-tidy-nymphs (as opposed to the tidying fairies) had been round for a coffee (2 cups - how?!) made themselves lunch and had what can only be described as a party in the dining room.

This morning (having complained to DH last evening that the place was already in need of a tidy - to receive the response 'we'll do it tomorrow, i mean there is little point when there will be playing tomorrow!') I'm sat typing in the lounge and already (less than 24 hours later) I'm surrounded by the following which are currently out of place......

• 2 toast plates
• ring
• mobile phone
• cereal bar bowl
• bottle of undrunk milk
• 1 pair clean socks
• 2 remote controls
• 2 coffee cups
• 1 coat
• 2 cushions on the floor
• 1 birthday card (fell out of laptop bag)
• 2 books
• 1 cartridge
• 4 DVDs on the floor
• 1 ballooncupblaster
• 3 cars
• a laptop bag
• extension lead and
• pair of shoes

and that's just the lounge, its a similar story all over the house.

Some people don't mind being surrounded by stuff. I have a friend who seems to thrive in chaos. Their house is cluttered, random, untidy and dusty - and it doesn't bother them. Their priorities are elsewhere. I like being at their house, it is full of love and laughter; however after a while I start to feel claustrophobic. I'm certain that a large part of that down to a dust and pet allergy, their house makes me feel itchy and in need of fresh air.

I need to feel as though I am surrounded by space and having a (relatively) clear and tidy house contributes to this. I hate most ornaments, shunning them more in favour of photos or simple pieces and see them as more stuff to dust - well collect dust in my case.

In addition, I wouldn't like to be judged by those I welcome into our home for not being perfectly clean or tidy - which is odd as I know that I am messy, I know what I am. If anyone comes into our house, I always without exception apologise for 'the state of the house' - even if I spend the preceding days cleaning and tidying.

It would be much easier to be messy and not be bothered by it but I am messy and it really bugs me and I get so cross.

I often decide to try harder to clear as I go along. The longest it has ever lasted is 4 tasks and then my mind is off somewhere else and I'm planning something else rather than focusing on the 'doing' (whist still doing)...... ooooh, a light bulb moment.

I've always had a thing about the fact that DH is always so happy. Scarily so to my rather cynical emotional pallet. He maintains that it's due to him being a simple soul and his ability to live in the now. I tend to over analyse and over complicate - and perhaps I apply this to all aspects of my life including the house.

So, to simplify, I have decided to get a cleaner. It sounds such an obvious choice now that I've written it down - and one that will fix half my problem. I wonder though where though I can hire a tidying fairy.... any suggestions?