From spotless to a total tip: how we describe the state of a home.
Each expression comes with a short meaning and an example sentence.
Tidy
spotlesscompletely clean
The kitchen was spotless after the party.
The kitchen was spotless after the party.
neat and tidyclean and organised
Please keep your room neat and tidy.
Please keep your room neat and tidy.
organisedeverything in the right place
Her desk is very organised.
Her desk is very organised.
shipshapeclean, tidy and in good order
The house was shipshape before the guests arrived.
The house was shipshape before the guests arrived.
not a thing out of placeperfectly tidy
His flat is so tidy; there is not a thing out of place.
His flat is so tidy; there is not a thing out of place.
Messy
clutteredfull of too many things
The garage is cluttered with old boxes.
The garage is cluttered with old boxes.
chaoticvery messy and disorganised
Mornings in our house are chaotic.
Mornings in our house are chaotic.
a tipa very messy place (informal)
Your bedroom is a tip!
Your bedroom is a tip!
a pigstyan extremely dirty, messy room
Clean up this pigsty before your mum gets home.
Clean up this pigsty before your mum gets home.
a bomb sitea place that looks destroyed
After the kids’ party, the living room was a bomb site.
After the kids’ party, the living room was a bomb site.
Cosy
snugwarm, small and comfortable
The cabin was small but snug.
The cabin was small but snug.
homelycomfortable, like a real home
The B&B had a homely feel.
The B&B had a homely feel.
invitingmakes you want to come in
The fire made the room look inviting.
The fire made the room look inviting.
warm and welcomingfriendly and comfortable for visitors
Their home is always warm and welcoming.
Their home is always warm and welcoming.
feels like homemakes you feel comfortable and relaxed
After a week, the new flat already feels like home.
After a week, the new flat already feels like home.
Under Renovation
a fixer-uppera house that needs a lot of repairs
We bought a fixer-upper and did the work ourselves.
We bought a fixer-upper and did the work ourselves.
a work in progressnot finished yet
The new kitchen is still a work in progress.
The new kitchen is still a work in progress.
guttedhad everything inside removed
The old house was gutted and rebuilt.
The old house was gutted and rebuilt.
a building sitea place full of builders and dust
Our home has been a building site for months.
Our home has been a building site for months.
coming togetherstarting to look finished and good
The living room is really coming together.
The living room is really coming together.
Spacious
roomywith lots of space
The new car is very roomy.
The new car is very roomy.
open-planwith few walls between rooms
They have an open-plan kitchen and living room.
They have an open-plan kitchen and living room.
plenty of spacemore than enough room
There is plenty of space for a desk in here.
There is plenty of space for a desk in here.
light and airybright, with lots of fresh air
The bedroom is light and airy.
The bedroom is light and airy.
room to breatheenough space to feel comfortable
The bigger flat gives us room to breathe.
The bigger flat gives us room to breathe.
Cramped
pokysmall and uncomfortable
My first flat in Dublin was tiny and poky.
My first flat in Dublin was tiny and poky.
boxed infeeling trapped in a small space
I feel boxed in with no windows.
I feel boxed in with no windows.
no elbow roomnot enough space to move
There is no elbow room in this kitchen.
There is no elbow room in this kitchen.
bursting at the seamstoo full of people or things
The house is bursting at the seams with five kids.
The house is bursting at the seams with five kids.
not enough room to swing a cata very small room
There’s not enough room to swing a cat in this bathroom.
There’s not enough room to swing a cat in this bathroom.
Modern
sleeksmooth, simple and stylish
The kitchen has sleek black cupboards.
The kitchen has sleek black cupboards.
minimalistvery simple, with few things
I love their minimalist living room.
I love their minimalist living room.
state-of-the-artusing the newest technology
The house has a state-of-the-art heating system.
The house has a state-of-the-art heating system.
cutting-edgevery new and advanced
The apartment has cutting-edge design.
The apartment has cutting-edge design.
clean linessimple shapes with no decoration
Modern furniture often has clean lines.
Modern furniture often has clean lines.
Old-Fashioned
datedlooks old and out of fashion
The bathroom is a bit dated.
The bathroom is a bit dated.
quaintold in a charming, attractive way
They live in a quaint cottage by the sea.
They live in a quaint cottage by the sea.
old-world charmattractive old style
The hotel has real old-world charm.
The hotel has real old-world charm.
needs updatingshould be made more modern
The kitchen needs updating.
The kitchen needs updating.
a blast from the pastsomething that reminds you of the past
Granny’s wallpaper is a blast from the past.
Granny’s wallpaper is a blast from the past.
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