How are you in the organisation stakes? Is everything in your world perfect, not a crumb on the floor, not a mark on the floor or the furniture, not a random pile of newspapers/children's books/unopened post in sight? Wow, well done you. And, er, what planet do you come from?! If you have children, you have clutter; if you have a busy life, you have mess. And I'm here to tell you it's OK - all us human mothers are the same!
Me, I'm disorganised and I'm organised. Depends what it is. The girls' clothes are meticulously organised (then the husband gets let loose on them - eek!); the kitchen cupboards are a case of a place for everything and everything in its place; but the kitchen worktop holds a variety of clutter and debris; the car is a mobile dustbin come storage unit; and until lately, my blogging has had no discernible schedule or organisation really. (Blogging tips coming soon!) But do you know what, that's all normal. Everyone I know needs advance notice of visitors so they can clean and tidy; we all have areas of life that aren't as organised as others, and that's OK. (Remember neat freak Monica's secret cupboard of clutter hell in Friends?!)
Pre-children, I posted birthday cards and carefully-selected presents on time; these days it's a frantic scramble to get them to the person less than a month after their special day. Pre-children, I could put my hand on any piece of important paperwork at a moment' notice; these days I find myself applying for a replacement birth certificate for Sophia because, as far as my paperwork goes, she was apparently never born. Pre-children, I did regular laundry loads and never had piles of washed or unwashed laundry lying around, I may even have ironed; these days there are piles everywhere, a permanently overflowing laundry basket, and I genuinely have no idea where the iron is, possibly in the drawer with the Hama Beads, its now sole use.
There are a few places where I am uber-organised though, I know what is in every bank account, to the penny, at any given time; it's case of having to! I meal plan meticulously, and can be found with tears in my eyes if we ever have to throw any old and unusable food away. Oh and the garage is probably the most organised 'room' in the house after a big sort out over the summer, it had been playing on my mind (classic priority avoidance?!). And my handbag is pared down to the point of minimalism, no unnecessary crud in there; with daily clear outs an essential part of my routine.
Do the children care that the kitchen isn't show home standard, with walls full of art and craft, piles of recycling box projects everywhere, and scrapbook leaflets to be stuck in from all our days out? Do they hell. Do they care that their clothes receive a quick shake and a line dry, and have never met an iron? Nope. They'd far rather that their mummy and daddy were with them during waking hours, doing fun things, than live in some minimalist, pristine palace, and that's how it should be. Embrace your disorganisation, mothers!
And if a quick Pinterest browse makes you feel like you must be the most lazy, uninspired, disorganised mother in the world, with everyone else artfully creating Bento boxes full ofcrap wonderful titbits to delight their small people; re-decorating bedrooms and sitting rooms in Pantone trends and papercut delights; fashioning awe-inspiring art and craft activities from woodshavings and cat poo; etc etc etc, know that you are not alone. And do you know what, as fun as all that stuff may be, your children would far rather you took them for a walk in the woods to collect leaves and conkers, or just to run and get muddy. Ask any small person, being and doing is much more fun than tidying!!
Messy car, crazy kitchen, muddy floors, not seen the bottom of your laundry basket since you bought it? So what. I bet your children are really happy though!
Me, I'm disorganised and I'm organised. Depends what it is. The girls' clothes are meticulously organised (then the husband gets let loose on them - eek!); the kitchen cupboards are a case of a place for everything and everything in its place; but the kitchen worktop holds a variety of clutter and debris; the car is a mobile dustbin come storage unit; and until lately, my blogging has had no discernible schedule or organisation really. (Blogging tips coming soon!) But do you know what, that's all normal. Everyone I know needs advance notice of visitors so they can clean and tidy; we all have areas of life that aren't as organised as others, and that's OK. (Remember neat freak Monica's secret cupboard of clutter hell in Friends?!)
Pre-children, I posted birthday cards and carefully-selected presents on time; these days it's a frantic scramble to get them to the person less than a month after their special day. Pre-children, I could put my hand on any piece of important paperwork at a moment' notice; these days I find myself applying for a replacement birth certificate for Sophia because, as far as my paperwork goes, she was apparently never born. Pre-children, I did regular laundry loads and never had piles of washed or unwashed laundry lying around, I may even have ironed; these days there are piles everywhere, a permanently overflowing laundry basket, and I genuinely have no idea where the iron is, possibly in the drawer with the Hama Beads, its now sole use.
There are a few places where I am uber-organised though, I know what is in every bank account, to the penny, at any given time; it's case of having to! I meal plan meticulously, and can be found with tears in my eyes if we ever have to throw any old and unusable food away. Oh and the garage is probably the most organised 'room' in the house after a big sort out over the summer, it had been playing on my mind (classic priority avoidance?!). And my handbag is pared down to the point of minimalism, no unnecessary crud in there; with daily clear outs an essential part of my routine.
Do the children care that the kitchen isn't show home standard, with walls full of art and craft, piles of recycling box projects everywhere, and scrapbook leaflets to be stuck in from all our days out? Do they hell. Do they care that their clothes receive a quick shake and a line dry, and have never met an iron? Nope. They'd far rather that their mummy and daddy were with them during waking hours, doing fun things, than live in some minimalist, pristine palace, and that's how it should be. Embrace your disorganisation, mothers!
And if a quick Pinterest browse makes you feel like you must be the most lazy, uninspired, disorganised mother in the world, with everyone else artfully creating Bento boxes full of
Messy car, crazy kitchen, muddy floors, not seen the bottom of your laundry basket since you bought it? So what. I bet your children are really happy though!
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