The Cleaning of Houses part II

(Don't read this without reading part I first)

  A few months ago... O.K. well, actually closer to a year ago, I went to go stay with my sister to help her with her munchkin's while Daryl (her hubby) was in yet anther stay at the hospital (a common occurrence with cancer patients). While I visited, I did my best to leave her home in the way she found it, so she would be relieved of some the stress she was burdened as the wife of husband stricken with cancer, working full time as a nurse, with three small children at home. I’ll admit I’m no Marry Poppins, and this was a struggle! Especially with a 9 year-old, a 7 year-old, a 5 year-old and two one year-olds- as they were at the time. I most days fell short of the perfection she normally left her home in.

As I traveled home and reflected on the week I (and all the kids—poor souls) had just survived, when it hit me, Rachel’s home is always so neat and organized. The girls had their hair ribbons arranged into little drawer’s -clips in one, ponytail holders in another. The toy room had its share of organization as well, everything had a bin or a tote and the room was to be tidied up every night. The kitchen was organized down to the Tupperware in the drawer. Everything was quite orderly.

These thoughts made me reflect on my home growing up. Like Rachel’s, our home was also well organized everything had a place, and everything belonged in its place. (That I attribute to my parents and their oldest child tendencies *wink*)

Then like a thunder bolt hit me! Mom does it... Rachel does it... I must be missing the organization gene!! That inner voice telling me were a good place to put the clips for Belle that would be efficient so I wasn’t running around the house at the last minute right before church “have you seen Belle’s cream bow?!” Or telling me how to organize my craft supplies, and yarn for blankets, and sewing odds and ends. I will admit I don’t even THINK of buying bins or totes when I’m going to Wal-mart.

I took this new epiphany of mine and decide I need to do something about it. I sat down with my good friend--my computer--and began searching the web. I might not have the ‘gene’ but I was going to learn it!!

Let me tell you there is a lot of information out there, and I soon became overwhelmed. Then I came across this one site... it was like the dark clouds parting and the warm sun shinning down on me. The site is Flylady.com.  I found I wasn’t the only one out there struggling. The words of my mom rang in my ear “You have to make a schedule”. But that didn’t always work for me. On this site it is almost like a support group! There are so many tips and pointers, and reasons for fallowing them so one doesn’t get burned out.

The first thing to catch my eye was a question posted on their page:

“Are you living in C.H.A.O.S? Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome?”

--I knew this was the site for me!! (I just love it, I could go on and on about it. I have it on my links --->Check it out!)

Well, I had been doing quite well, but with the craziness of this summer I have started to slip. My mom and I were talking about the story Nanny would tell us of her mom coming over. I mentioned that it seemed every time lately that my dad would come to my house it would have appeared to have just been hit by a tornado. (a messy house is much more offensive to my dad than my mom) I, being mortified of the state of my home, would soon rectify the situation.

I think I need my dad to come over every morning.