Oh Where Is the Floor?
When Marilla came up for the light, various skimpy articles of raiment scattered most untidily over the floor and a certain tempestuous appearance of the bed were the only indications of any presence save her own.
Anne of Green Gables
Let's take a break from saving the world and have a moan about the children's bedrooms instead. This is Posy's bedroom several days after its weekly tidy and vaccuum. 'Tempestuous appearance' has nothing on it. The really terrible thing is that ALL the children's bedrooms look just the same, it's just that the others would disown me if I featured them on the interweb. Here is the other half:
Something must be done. I spent years decluttering the house and learning how to keep it clean, but clearly I forgot to show the children how it is done. It starts now.
We are going to take it slowly, one chore at a time, and slowly build it up. This is how I learnt housekeeping, and this is how we are going to tackle it as a family.
Now, Anne, I noticed last night that you threw your clothes all about the floor when you took them off. That is a very untidy habit, and I can't allow it at all. As soon as you take off any article of clothing fold it neatly and place it on the chair.
Anne of Green Gables
So we will be going all Anne of Green Gables this week. Every morning - make the bed, put the jammies away. Every night, put the clothes away, pack the school bag.
But wait, there's more. This afternoon Posy and I pulled all the dress-ups out of the drawers, sent some to the op-shop, packed the others away, and now have two spare drawers. So exciting.
And my job? I am going to attempt everything on my chore list this week. I don't think I've ever done that before, though I have made valiant attempts. Actually, mostly I make less-than valiant attempts. It's starting to show..
Comments
My children, one being legally an adult, cannot use the excuse (for a messy room) that I have not shown them how to tidy. They just don't care. Sometimes I am the harridan of the home - or the nag of the neighbourhood.
I think that is why I'm kind of lax on my daughter. As long as she cleans the whole thing up once a week and makes her bed every day, I just let it go. Some people just don't have the clean gene. I have since learned how to keep and appreciate a clean house, but my house has its cluttered zones that I cannot (CANNOT!!)keep organized to save my life.
My son is a total neat freak. He has a room full of Legos which are normally every mother's nightmare, but he keeps everything organized and off the floor. Amazing. He takes after his father who was a total neat freak when I met him. We have now evened each other out. He is now slightly more messy and I am much more tidy than when we first met each other.
Heather, I haven't evicted any children.. yet. I am going to try nagging and a cleaning routine first. Before I vaccuumed this morning my living room was carpeted with Lego. Love to see them being creative, but...
Wish I had given birth to just one neat freak, but with parents like us they just don't have the gene.
Libi, I do wish I had become a good housekeeper before I had children. Would have saved me years of grief (or maybe just sent me completely insane).
e, were you born neat, or did you learn it? I am doing research. Although I am still kind of messy, I could never go back to living in clutter and a huge mess. I think I am reformed!
I have been re-reading the Anne books recently. It's funny - as mother of teenagers I can now see how infuriating all Anne's mishaps would have been to Marilla. I have two children just as vague and good-natured as Anne who drive me crazy every day, but make me laugh (luckily).
I am enjoying seeing your home reno projects that are solving your 'piles of stuff' problems. Very cool.