I had my own 1br bachelor pad, kept it real nice and tidy and most of all CLEAN.  She came over many times and knew I was a neat freak.

I moved in with my girlfriend and her best friend in a house that her parents recently moved out of.  It was mostly empty at the time.  

I have lived with them for about a year now and knew that these girls were messy but assumed they would clean up from time to time.  I was wrong.

Without going into detail, they cover every surface with clothes, mail, unfinished beverages, dishes, makeup, hair products, trash, etc.

They went to a summer camp for about a week not too long ago and I had the entire house made spotless.  They ruined it within 2 days.

My girlfriend is the biggest contributor to the mess.  I have talked to her about the problem, and also try to help her by catching her leaving stuff around at the exact moment she does it.  (I'll tell her to toss the shirt she just removed in the hamper instead of on the floor, for example.)

She does not deny that she is messy, but gets upset with me when I "boss her around" and point out the things she is doing.  

We are a great couple, and I want to be in this relationship for the long haul.  Once we have our own place the mess won't be as bad but this still needs to be addressed.

To those of you with a messy significant other, what successful methods have you used?
user
Girlfriend is messy, I want to
assistant
I had my own 1br bachelor pad, kept it real nice and tidy and most of all CLEAN.  She came over many times and knew I was a neat freak.

I moved in with my girlfriend and her best friend in a house that her parents recently moved out of.  It was mostly empty at the time.  

I have lived with them for about a year now and knew that these girls were messy but assumed they would clean up from time to time.  I was wrong.

Without going into detail, they cover every surface with clothes, mail, unfinished beverages, dishes, makeup, hair products, trash, etc.

They went to a summer camp for about a week not too long ago and I had the entire house made spotless.  They ruined it within 2 days.

My girlfriend is the biggest contributor to the mess.  I have talked to her about the problem, and also try to help her by catching her leaving stuff around at the exact moment she does it.  (I'll tell her to toss the shirt she just removed in the hamper instead of on the floor, for example.)

She does not deny that she is messy, but gets upset with me when I "boss her around" and point out the things she is doing.  

We are a great couple, and I want to be in this relationship for the long haul.  Once we have our own place the mess won't be as bad but this still needs to be addressed.

To those of you with a messy significant other, what successful methods have you used?
user
relationship has been messy. What can
assistant