I Don't know how SHE does it!!!......SHE DOESN'T!!!

People ask me all the time...

How DO you do it all?"

and the only answer I can give is:

"I don't". 

Who could possibly DO it all? That is insane making. And why would I want to?

     Yes, there are MANY things I have had to LEARN to let go of...this did not come easy to me. I was once a bit of a neat freak. Some people might have even said, "Neat Control Freak" which I think is a little mean..and to which I reply: .."Takes one to know one!" 
     It is a process. I would have NEVER dreamed, 14 years and 3 children ago that I would be the Mom/PERSON WHO has laundry lining the hallS, toothpaste globs in the bathroom, towels on the floor,  and breakfast dishes in the sink, sometimes for a whole day...and that ON is a CLEAN day! 
    
      On good days, which fortunately outnumber the bad ones, I let it roll. BUT, In the early years...  I spent way too many frantic moments trying to keep up with everyTHING...EVERY dish, sock, every coat, every laundered and folded shirt that needs to be put away. Time I would not mind getting back, I might add. It is not worth it.  My kids have nicknamed what I become as "The MOM BOMB" . I am certain it is not pretty. IT IS NOT WORTH IT!  


     NOWADAYS.. What I have settled into is a VERY minimal routine that keeps me sane without living in filth or losing my days to cleaning. 

1. I have baskets, BINS, DRAWERS, CUBBIES, HOOKS, EVERYWHERE and things get tossed in/ON them routinely. The kids have PERSONAL cubbies, in fact a few of them, all over the house. Places where when I find headphones, wallets, books, I put AWAY. 

2. I try to go to bed each night with the kitchen sink empty. I TRY.

3. I DO NOT make the beds every day. or even...every other day...

4. BUT...I DO vacuum our downstairs everyday, which sounds insane but I actually fill the canister each day!!!...Hey, before you say something like "What a Pig!"...we live in the country ....with 3 kids 3 cats 3 dogs IN an 135 year Old house...we generate a LOT OF HAIR AND dirt! (Once I tried to save a months worth just to show my family how disgusting we are - but I got so depressed a week into the experiment that I just threw the bag of dirt away). I guess we ARE pigs. Happy ones though! 

4.Every few weeks...okay, once a month....okay..at least, when people are coming over... well, maybe not all people, ANYWAY - I TRY to take a few solid hours and "BLITZ"...This was my Mom's word. She was a mother to 3 messy boys and one sloppy girl..."BLITZING" is where you run from room to room, no nonsense...no distractions and get things back where they belong...It is not to be confused with Spring Cleaning. 

POST BLITZ!

5. My Dining room table, no matter HOW messy it gets, is always cleared for meals..., including today...I promise...it will be cleaned up in time for the homework crew and dinner and really, that is all that matters. 

    ...AND WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS...I remind myself...LIFE is short...TOO TOO SHORT. There are no photographers coming today, House Beautiful did not call...that I know of ( I have been out for a few hours?), and so I do not need my home picture perfect. Right? It DOES NOT matter and almost NO ONE notices but me!


And..in the words of my TWO NEW Favorite Decorating Books
...The Perfectly ImPERFECT Home

and...

 A Perfectly Kept Home is the sign of a Misspent life...

have a great day...messes and all!

xo