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Don't be offended when I place a dish back in the wash bin because you failed to notice the funk still on it. If you don't want to rewash them, do it right the first time!

Ok, I'm going waaaaaayyyyyyyy back. I was a newlywed, working 2 jobs, 7 days a week, while my husband was a college student. I took laundry to the laundromat on my lunch 45 minutes and picked it up on the way home if nobody stole it out of the dryer. Had a few minutes to cook and eat and off to job #2, which was full time on the weekends. My ex liked to go through the fridge in my presence and ask, "what did this used to be?". My reply was, throw it out. He'd get mad. And so it went. I could never understand why it was my job - just because I did all the cooking and cleaning and laundry and working? How did I last 30 years?

Yes ikasenter, the notice would be nice, but the gesture would also be appreciated, in my case. I think many many years ago it was asked if they (family members) could bring anything and, having the dining experience all planned already, I said no. Unfortunately, they took it quite literally and never bring or ask - EVER. And I'm such a pushover wussy girl, I never say anything. Everyone knows we just love to cook so there will always be plenty of good food. But trust me, if they ever ask, I won't say no again! Ok, maybe to gray spinach eggplant casserole...

Wait a minute Ikasenter - let me get this straight - people actually "bring" food to your home? How do you get them to do that?

Hehehehe...Thanks, eggplant43!

I don't mean to veer off the topic at hand, but I have to make this statement: It is now 1:10pm central and I've been on this site since 11am this morning... THIS SITE ROCKS! I have emailed this blog to several of my good friends who are going through the very same things you all mentioned above.... I should be doing laundry, but I just can't seem to stop... maybe one more hour....

Ohmy..BRILLIANT! I needed this! Ya'll are awesome!! Gotta join in on the fun:

To my roommates:

Please DO NOT LEAVE the following in the fridge:
An opened can of ANYTHING, still left IN THE CAN (even more gut-burning, leaving the damn thing uncovered, so that you end up knocking it over...then proceed to do a poor job of 'cleaning' it out...leaving us with a rank smelling fridge for the entire week!), Leftovers,UNWRAPPED/UNCOVERED and with all the tupperwares in the apartment, is it really neccessary to put the ENTIRE 2 QUART POT in the fridge, uncovered, with BARELY A CUP of whatever it is you cooked last night in the fridge we barely have space in??
Arm&Hammer can only do so much to keep our fridge fresh.
After cooking on the stove, it's great that you wipe it down. Thank you and I really appreciate it. But how is the kitchen any cleaner when you wipe down whatever crud/crumbs/spills onto the floor, but don't even bother cleaning THAT up???
Why am I the only one taking out the garbage?! I'm pretty sure when there are 2 other names on that lease! And by taking out, I mean ALL THE WAY OUTSIDE TO THE GARBAGE CONTAINERS. It's disgusting to come home and see 3 bags sitting on the kitchen floor, around a garbage can that is filled to the rim... at yet here you are, with the last 2 days off, sitting in the living room, fresh out of the shower, putting on makeup..and when asked, "where you off to?", your reply: "oh no where. i'm just chilling'...and proceed to 'chill' in the living room, on the computer, for the next 4 hours... while i'm sweeping the floor in the kitchen because i CANNOT STAND CRUMBS beneath my feet...only then to have you tell me 'oh, don't worry about the trash, i'll take it out'. That 'later' is now TODAY...and guess what! Now it's no longer 3 bags, but 4 and the garbage can now has NO GARBAGE BAG...yet, there's already garbage INSIDE! and because I CANNOT STAND it I'm the one going to have to take it out...AGAIN!

And the microwave...ever heard of covering up whatever it is your cooking so that it doesn't splatter all over the place? Okay, so maybe there was a time that you 'forgot'. Fine. It happens sometimes. What I don't get is why can't you clean up the mess you made up in there??? And NO, NO, NO, that does not mean taking the HAND TOWEL and smearing the mess on one side to the other side! Please don't use the hand towels to wipe spills off the floor either! Hand towels..get it.. FOR HANDS.

As for my kitchen equipment, you're more than welcome to use them. But clean them up aftewards! They don't have a self-cleaning option and I'm getting tired of having to clean up after you.

I'm tired of telling you to NOT USE METAL utensils on my TEFLON PANS!
And speaking of pans, what's the deal with LEAVING A DIRTY PAN IN THE OVEN???? For crying out loud, the stove is right next to the sink!

Speaking of sink...don't leave the sponge soaking in dirty water from the dirty plates sitting in there. And please don't put wet dishes in the cabinet. I mean, really...

LEAVE MY KNIVES ALONE. They are not to be used to scrap whatever you burned on my baking pans nor are they the next best thing when your rusty can opener fails you. Use the knives in the drawer. If it's in the block, that means they are off-limits.

We all use the kitchen all the time yet it really seems and feels like I'm doing all the cleaning..and we've already discussed these issues..so the next time around, when that happens, I'll be sure to hand each of you a bill for my services or better yet, I'll just dock $50 off my share of the rent... :)

Good day.