As you recall, I posted last Monday about how much I look forward to the end of the weekend. Well I started feeling it again this weekend. I was so frustrated!!!
My husband had prepared some elaborate recipes and left the kitchen a huge mess, my children had friends over and trashed the house. there were books, puzzles, dishes and clothes everywhere.
As I looked around I felt a tightening in my throat. I seriously felt like FREAKING OUT. I almost pulled a "Thelma and Louise." Can't you picture it? Me in my Toyota Minivan, cruising down the highway music blaring, smoking a Marlboro and drinking an ice cold brewsky? I sure can.
I was ragging BIG TIME. I heard myself saying things my mom used to say..."I'm not the maid around here!" "All I ever do is pick up after you people!" Real attractive.
It dawned on me that my weekends should be a time of joy, not anger. So I pulled a George Costanza and yelled, "SERENITY NOW!!" It didn't work.
Then I did something my father used to do. I corralled my daughters upstairs and made them pitch in and clean up the ungodly mess they had made. They bitched the entire time and I pointed out to them that their anger and annoyance was pretty much what I feel everyday.
I blame myself for this dilemma. I have been picking up after my daughters since they were born. I do it myself because it's easier that way. Unfortunately it's backfiring.
It's time for a rude awakening, not just for me, for my whole family. My mission, is to get this house organized so that my children know where everything goes. I need a shelf for games, a drawer for arts and craft supplies, specific drawers for socks. You organized people know all about this. It sounds so logical!
Unfortunately for me, organization has NEVER been my strong suit. And it's seriously driving me nuts.
I am so happy when I'm out and about, running errands, going to the supermarket or the bank, but when I step into this house and try to figure out where everything goes, WHAM, I get really tense. I refuse to pay someone $80 an hour to help me sort through the stuff. I need to find the discipline to do it myself.
So, I'm declaring next month "Get my shit together month!" (Sorry I can't do it this week, I have a field trip, I'm in charge of a kindergarten "getting to know you" breakfast, and my daughter's Halloween party at school on Friday. So get off my back!! Oops sorry.)
As of November 1st I'm going to do an organization project each and every day, and I'm going to post pictures just to motivate myself. I'm going to need lots of postitive feedback and encouragement if I do something good. If you aren't hearing about progress it means I'm slacking, and you need to call me on it!!!
Is that too much to ask of you?
10.26.2008
Diary of a Mad Housewife aka "Help! I'm drowning in Polly Pockets!!"
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29 comments:
i am so with you on this and trying trying. i am sooo tempted to pay someone to do it BUT i know that is just a waste !!! i did the clothes switch this weekend, which was something.
Can I join the parade too? I really need to gut my house of all the junk we have packratted (can that be a word?)over the years and start over with an empty house. I'll lend you support if you give me some encouragement... whattaya say?
I'm with you...i get so agitated in my own home when I should be happy and relaxed. I curse the mess and unfortunately, the mess makers.
I periodically throw out, clean up and move on. I too feel happier out and about than cleaning up the same old crap day in and day out. Hence, I'm a better shopper than cleaner/organizer!
Are you talking to me? Your the one that keeps calling:)
I need to join you! I have been saying I will organize photo albums for months now. Meeting friends for lunch and reading novels is much more fun. I will be cheering you on.
I am going to join you too. I will also post pictures to show my progress or lack thereof!
Life is so hard! Good luck on getting your shit together. I'm still working on it.
And I'm not adverse to a smoke and a beer, to help it along.
I don't remember how old your children are, but its best to have them start doing chores as early as possible. (I am the mother of three teenage girls) I know plenty of SAHMs who believe its their responsibility to do everything because its their job, but as a personnel supervisor (and you are) you should know when to delegate, thus making your job easier and you happier. Its hard at first, especially if the children whine and complain about it. Soon enough, though, its just part of their routine and they don't fuss quite as much.
Heh, I have a spare room that is nearly filled with an assortment of junk. Mostly MY junk. I have been meaning to organize it for some time now. But....it's one of those chores that waits until I get enough gumption to get seriously busy. And I don't feel that way lately. lol. Maybe Halloween weekend?
LOL! I say the same thing..."What am I -- the maid??"
I feel bad about opening my yapper about DT over the Summer. I was stressing. It was bad enough having people fawn all over her at the mall today. She is really a nice person and people make mistakes and I need to just get over it. Funny thing is--I thought I was over it until I had to see her on TV every day during the Summer. We had maintained a friendship since, but during the Summer I was like enough already!!
I could have written this post! I have felt like that so many times!
Who would be your "Brad Pitt" on your T&L adventure? That is what inquiring minds really want to know!
Ah, this is a great blog. So much energy.
"their anger and annoyance was pretty much what I feel everyday."
This. This is very good.
Here's my secret tip for getting kids to pick up: I set the timer for 15 minutes, announce to the kids that they have until it goes off to pick up their shit (sorry, TOYS), then I tell them I'll pick up anything they miss and donate it to the poor children. If they don't get it picked up in that time, they're usually BEGGING me for more time. I pretend to really have to consider before I tell them they can have more time.
Don't get me wrong: my house regularly looks like a typhoon of Bratz, Webkinz, and craft supplies has hit it. That's just my strategy when I'm on the brink of totally freaking losing it.
Oh my goodness. You're ME.
Sunday I made homemade vegetable soup, and baked real chocolate chip cookies (not the break and bake kind), and then realized I couldn't walk through my girls' shared bedroom.
I cried. In front of them. And the committee for Promotion of Optimistic Parenting (POOP), quickly came in and took my award back.
Shit.
I love organizing. I wish I could come over and organize your house FOR FREE! Buy baskets, cute canvas baskets, big ones. Have one for junk like happy meal toys, little rubber balls, whistles, just random stuff you find around the house. Have another one for Polly Pockets, etc. Whatever your kids play with. Start there. I also have a hanging thing in my daughters closet. It's made to be for shoes. But I use it for jeans and pants. I roll them up and put them in there. That way it will free up drawer space for other things. Ok. Start there.
This was so me this weekend! As I was preparing to take my two gals to HSM 3, in their new HSM shirts, they both started griping about being asked to put their dirty clothes in the hamper! I lost it, and almost hit my oldest daughter with a pair of pants. I know I had some choice curse words in their too, because later that evening my DD said, "Mom, next time you get mad at us, do you have to cuss at us too?" I felt horrible. So Sunday, we started fresh- each girl taking on one project in their room to clean and organize. We'll see how long that lasts!
I wanna join in too!
I swear, I did the same things with FGG. I picked up after him so much that now, at 15, he thinks he doesn't have to do squat. And I hear myself saying all the things that my mother said to me.
Lawdy, between the aches/pains and yelling, I have become my mother!!
Good luck with that. I had a similar fit a couple months ago, and labeled every bin in the play room. Do you think my children actually follow the labels if I am not in the room with them? Nope. Chaos still reigns.
If I lived in NJ I'd come help you- thing is Im' really good at organizing but just never have the energy to keep it up
Good luck. When you figure out the spell to make your kids pick up after you've organized, let me know.
I'm still trying to figure it out and half my kids don't even live with me anymore.
How the heck did you get in my head and post my thoughts? The clutter and mess in my house drives me CRAZY!
Great advice P I have a shoe thing and am going to try that with my jeans. Today I had new cleaning ladies(mine moved away). I wanted to do it all myself since it would save money and my youngest starts Kindergarten next year. Anyway, my husband, in a very nice way told me to find someone else because I really don't have the time(another way of saying it was not up to his standards. Anyway, while they were here I went through closets and gave them bags of clothes, they were thrilled and I got rid of a little:)
You are totally inspiring me. I have no excuse for my house, my car, my truck, my barns, my office, my everything being a disaster. I do not even have kids
Partly is that I have so many responsibilities outside the house that I just collapse when I get here---and the husband is even worse.
But I am going to try to hang in there with you--I know I cannot do a task a day, but if I can do three a week, I will be getting somewhere.
Looking forward to your updates--it will guilt me into acting
Good for you for making the little mess-makers help! I've been cracking the whip on my kids lately. I'm tired of doing it all!
This is great! I have the same resolution. Today I cleaned out a cupboard downstairs and bathroom closet upstairs in order to organize all the OTC meds, sunscreens, etc. that we are tripping over. It seems like a small thing, but it feels so good. (Also, so much safer, with two prescholers in the house.) I'll post updates too, in my sidebar perhaps? How would that be?
I'm gonna join you too!
Wow nice post i really like it very much every human can share this post.
Exactly what a post…I that is good do none of the aforementioned except look when Husband comes in. And like you it truly is more of a thank god you're property! Thank heavens the times have transformed or I might not be committed!
George
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