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My lifelong desire has been to be tidy – my ‘house’ has always been a home and I think that’s the problem. Somewhere along the way after our first child was born I think I gave myself permission to be untidy.
If there were toys around during the day it seemed fruitless to clear them up as the kids would only tip them out again. I did get them to help pick up before they tootled off to bed but clearly remember the day they were being obnoxious and I lost my cool and came into the room with the broom – no, not to threaten them with – just to sweep it all into one corner for the night đŸ™‚
Much to my annoyance it was still there the next morning lol
Ironing seemed to grow like topsy out of the basket and up the wall. Shoes multiplied outside the back door, in the hallway, in bedrooms but never in the boxes provided or on the racks. Â I think you get the idea.
Books seemed to say to one another ‘come along to our house, its cosy and comfortable and you’ll have a spot here for life’ I have always thought having books around would enrich their lives and encourage learning so scoured second hand bookshops for ones for them to read; as well as children’s reading books I would bring home all sorts of weird ones about snakes and animals from other continents or volcanoes and natural disasters.  Only problem was there weren’t enough shelves and they spread out over and under the beds and floors.  All stayed here on the bookshelves for years and finally found new homes when I passed them on to other families during some of my had de-cluttering spurts.
So once our children grew up and started to leave home and go their own way in the world I thought things would be better.  Except I didn’t bank on the craft supplies multiplying and spilling out of cupboards and drawers and on to spare beds đŸ˜¦
So it looked like I was the culprit and would have to change my ways.
I seem to have the books under control now – big donations to second hand shops and friends and anyone else who looked interested has cleared the big pile both myself and The Golfer (courtesy of a book discount warehouse) accumulated. Â Not a lover of electronic reading the library has become my new best friend – well it always was, except the pile of books by my bedside seemed to deter me from going there. Â These days I definitely do read and return though – not returning the books on time means fines and having to pay fines means there is less cash in the kitty for the other thing I love – Travel.
The shoes still seem to be everywhere but on the rack or in the cupboard, the ironing is still – well lets just say that as The Golfer takes charge of his own it is my ironing that is still there – and knitting wool (not craft supplies) still appears to expand in any spot it can (luckily out in the garage)
Seems like for all those years so long ago my children might have been taking their lead from me. Â They say it takes 21 days to form a habit – wonder one of my ‘bad’ habits I need to work on first lol
Still Waters 
Having recently cleared the house to make room for visitors I must say that I began to wonder if inanimate objects could breed and multiply….
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I used to keep a tidy home when my boys were growing up,with 3 children and a husband who worked long hours to keep his small haulage business going I ha d to be organised. I would ask the boys to tidy up their toys and they knew everything had a place,they could leave toys out in their own rooms but not in the living room We had a laundry routine and I did well, since they have left I have an office/craft room which is not as tidy as I would like to get on top of that, we have a lot of decortaing and DIY projects on the go but once each room is finished I am only keeping things that I use,consider to be beautiful or are of great sentimental value, I am determined to get the mess under control and the stuff in each room organised, I want a place for everything, I have allowed to build up but know in time it will be done. Good luck with your projects,remember baby steps,one cupboard at a time ! Dawn
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I am slowly letting go of books but have way too much yarn but I have been getting better. I never bought yarn since before Christmas. I am determined to use it before I get any more.
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You’ve made a start with the books, now what’s next? The ironing or the shoes?
xx
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I was a tidy person when Jack & Elly were here, but somehow over the past seventeen years living alone, things have gone down hill. There are weeks when I have not seen the surface of my dining table. I have a large crate of knitting yarn, I am sure you have seen it on my blog, somehow it is always full to bursting. I have decided to try and complete all the unfinished projects before starting anything new. Then I have fabric for bathroom curtains and a hundred other project rumbling around in my head….. Hopefully one day soon when we have proper daylight to see my needles….!
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I always say there is a difference between messy and dirty–a fine excuse to ignore the piles o’ stuff!! I decluttered a bit today, mostly my clutter and the children followed suit under my instruction. Funny, I have been thinking that I am allowed to clutter because I do most of the cleaning but am so annoyed by others clutter. ‘How can they walk over the same ____ a dozen times and no one picks it up!?’ Right? Ah, well, I am rambling to no conclusion, sorry. I just found this very relatable and have decided we just simply have too much ‘stuff.’
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Oh dear. Loved the photos at the top of your post! I enjoyed reading your post about tidiness and I loved reading the comments. Seems you’re not the only person with clutter. I don’t have a ton of clutter, but it’s because I don’t have a big house. There is still plenty that needs to be taken care of and that’s why my stash-busting year has begun. I could not possibly give away yarn until I knit it into something!!! Now books? I totally get keeping stacks of them! I had an auntie who was a librarian.
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I need to make a trip to the library this week, as I learned this week, we have to renew our library card every year with this branch? I am a magazine junkie!!
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I would rather live in a house that looks ‘lived in’ rather than one that looks as if a home magazine photographer just left. If I wanted that level of tidiness, I would check into a hotel for the weekend. Take at look at https://randombitsoftrialanderror.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/takin-it-one-energy-spurt-at-a-time/. Fine minute spurts is their goal.
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I managed quite well until I had my 3rd baby (13mo after the 2nd) and he was the straw that broke this camel’s back. Several years later… I was just getting back to keeping up when #4 came along, he got lost in the shuffle and so did I. I decided life was too short to worry about tidy, I worked more on safety…
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I keep saying I will have more time to get things tidy myself…hmmm.
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Ha – you sound just like me, especially with the ‘toys gone, craft mess takes over’ thing! And the books. Always the books …
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I try hard to be tidy. I like things to be organized, but my mom is even more obsessive than me. I don’t throw out things or donate things as easily as she does. Ah well… we have to just do the best we can.
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Good one! Sounds just like me! Only I was forced every 3 years or so to lighten the load when we would be transfered from one Army base to the next. Now …I had clear off the day bed in the “craft/guest” room so I could take a nap. Recouping from bronchitis and didn’t feel like climbing the stairs. Haha good timing needed the cheering up.
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