This may sound odd, but I'm glad I don't always have time to get my kitchen totally straightened up again after cooking--in fact, only about half the time do I actually get all the dishes done, counters and stove wiped off, etc. It makes it look that much nicer when I DO get it all cleaned up, and I really appreciate my space!
It came to me the other day that when XAH was here, I had no space whatsoever that was mine and only mine. He had the model airplane studio/drinking lair as well as most of the garage that was his domain alone, but everything else was jointly inhabited space. No wonder I've been feeling so happy about having "a room of my own", as it were!