Monday, January 14, 2008

A Battle

I've been feeling a little frustrated lately with my seeming inability to keep things organized. I LOVE having a place for everything and having a neat, tidy, organized home. Somehow, I can never achieve it all at once. I have some theories... :)

Since Christmas, I've been struggling to regain some sense of order and I desperately need it! So Saturday I spent time putting things back in order in the pantry/laundry room - it looks much better again but it seems only a matter of time before it will be a mess again (it doesn't help that we usually come in that way when we get home). Today, I've spent time tidying (I'm glad to use that word!) our bedroom and thoroughly cleaning and organizing the boys' room - I'm not quite finished but getting there.

I started the boys' room right before we had the flu and haven't been able to get back to it - it involved cleaning out the closet, sorting clothes and toys, packing things up, and general pick-up. The cribs and changing table are coming down which is a little sad. They haven't tried to get out of their cribs (which is why we haven't done this sooner) and we really like the fact they can't get out, but they are ready for big beds. We have matching blue race car toddler beds which I scored at a garage sale this summer for $10 apiece. Any little boy's dream - they will be excited, let's just hope they sleep!

Do any of you feel frustrated with the constant organizing? It seems that as soon as I feel fairly organized, a birthday or Christmas or a new season comes and brings lots more "stuff" to find a place for - don't get me wrong, we are certainly grateful for these things. And I do get rid of things; I have toys, clothes, and other things that we take to Goodwill or have the VA pick up regularly. It's just a constant battle and sometimes I'm winning and sometimes I'm losing. Right now, I'm losing - it feels better when I'm winning. Maybe by the end of the week?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Alaina. What is the title of the book your dad gave you for Christmas? I'm a recent library-card-owner, and I want to look it up.

Micah said...

Ugh! I definitely know what you mean!!! One thing that's helped me is cleaning out before the holiday so I'm not so overwhelmed when I bring in a truck-full of new toys :).

I loved getting to see you too! We should do it more often! I'm so glad she like the blanket!

Monica said...

You hit the nail on the head. It does seem like a losing battle and the stuff can easily take over, can it not? It's true when they say that the universe is headed toward chaos. My house, too, is proof of that.

We have a blue car bed as well. Since they are in such a car mode these days I'm sure that it will be the ultimate for them.

Rebecca said...

It's always a struggle to keep organized, that's part of what I'm trying to do in the next few weeks, playing catch up with all the organization that's been let go. Someday our house will be perfectly in order.........:)

Catherine said...

Yes! I have that same problem! I often feel like I'm being really ruthless when I'm purging things from our house, but then mysteriously more clutter materializes.

I will soldier on though, because clutter and mess bothers me and stresses me out.

Kim said...

I can relate! We have a fairly large home and what bothers me the most is the little ones clutter,toys,clothes that gets drug out...just the mess with toddlers...but I came to the conclusion that it was okay if the house was not perfect. In the big scheme of things down the road,a slightly messy house a few days a week is not going to matter.

I have to have this attitude because I tend to be a perfectionist with my home and it is just not reasonable with young children...I have made that an idol of the heart at times...and I don't want to be teaching my children that the house being clean is the most important thing to mom.

But, yes, I do like everything to have its place and we do stay pretty organized, but I have to battle this in my attitude...to make sure I am not putting unnecessary emphasis on it in my life.

We throw things out and reorganize every few months. If we didn't, there would just be too much stuff.

Your boys are just too precious!

Paula said...

I agree with you (and everyone else), it is a losing battle. I think I need to stop buying stuff and then I wont accumulate as much clutter.

Kate Ambrose said...

I can certainly empathize!

My biggest issue is that I am an extreme perfectionist. So when the stuff starts to pile up, it overwhelms me. I've failed!

Our bedroom is the biggest place I have difficulty, because I don't have enough storage space there. We want a new bedroom set, and we're planning on moving in the next year, so I've put off buying something. For now all I have is the closet and baskets (no dresser or out of sight storage). It looks so cluttered and messy to me, even when it's all organized and put away that I get frustrated! I hate that there is just no good place of so much necessary stuff.

I also tend to get overwhelmed coming home from trips, or after big transitions, when the stuff just keeps on piling up.

My husband always tells me to calm down and just address one thing at a time. Even if I don't get everything done, at least one issue will have been addressed, instead of everything being left while I sit being overwhelmed.

My husband is very wise :)

The battle gets worse after kids... doesn't it? *sigh* I'm never going to be one of those completely put together women.

Alaina said...

Hey Ashley - Spilling Clarence By: Anne Ursu is the book my Dad gave me. I haven't read it yet but I'm looking forward to it!

Barbie said...

Oh, how I feel your pain! It is so hard for me to get organized and when I do, it is hard to maintain it!

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