A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about letting go of certain things now that I have 8 children. However, there is one issue I am constantly struggling with and that is the state of my house. My house is by no means dirty but it seems to be in a constant state of chaos. I will clean up a room only to walk into another room and be faced with something like this:
I will then have the children clean it up (okay I probably have to it myself) only to go back to the first room I started in and find this:
I will at that point decide to leave the room and say “F&%k it!”
I have put up chore charts, and they do work, but once a room is completed it is only a matter of time before it looks like a tornado ripped through it. My children then start complaining that all I tell them to do is to “Clean Up!” Yeah well, guilty as charged.
So I then decided that the chores should be done at night so at least when they all go to bed I am not tripping over toys or cleaning up during what little free time I have. After all, this free time should really be spent thinking about how I miss the hubby, (well maybe not actually him just the sex), writing blogs and drinking Wildberry.
I have been to other people’s houses. These people have children. These people don’t have the same type of chaos. What are they doing that I am not? I am a very organized person (you have to be with so many children) but seriously it seems as though other people’s houses are so neat and tidy and could be the poster house for a Martha Stewart book. OR is it really just an illusion and as soon as they know someone is dropping by they run around the house and do the same things I do?
*Throw all the toys on the floor into laundry baskets.
*Throw all the dirty clothes that have yet to be washed (and you haven’t seen laundry until you’ve seen how much I have) into the laundry room.
*wipe the bathrooms down with baby wipes (love those wipes.)
*Start to empty the dishwasher but then realize you are running out of time so you start filling it with the dirty dishes not caring about how much water you are wasting.
*In your rush to clean up and fill the dishwasher you spill some juice and use your stocking feet to wipe it up. Who is the wiser?
So come on and fess up – is your house picture perfect, in between, or tornado ripped? How do you keep it tidy? Or do you do what I do some days and just say “F&%k it!”
until next time
Chantel, momof8crazymonkeys
Thanks for reminding me that it is the time I spend with the kiddies and not how nice my house looks that is the most important thing right now. You are so right – they are not going to remember what the house looked liked but They will remember what happened inside it:)
Hey Chantel,
U mentioned how other peoples homes look so nice compared to yours, but I think u are being way to hard on yourself. When your kids grow up they will say “our mom was a great mom because she cared about us more than she cared about how her house looked.” Its nice to have a home that is nice and tidy and clean and blah blah blah, but when the kids are grown up and moved out you will get that opportunity to make it “yours” but for now you are raising happy kids who are enjoying their home and their mom!! That has got to a great feeling for them.
Ha, ha well at least I now know that they realize I am coming! I hear you about the toy picking up part – ditto for me and I know it is only a matter of a few more months and the twins will be contributing! You are lucky that your hubby helps out that is what is hard for me I suppose being the only pair of hands so to speak. As for being on top of it – well that is always a good thing! Just saying;)
Awww thanks Nancy you always say the sweetest things:) Yeah the sock thing is seriously driving me over the edge I tell you! 10 kids and you haven’t been driven to the brink of insanity or drinking? (or have you lol) Well now I’m impressed;)
Jen I have been through that so many times as well – just getting rid of everything, however it just seems to magically re-appear – must be that invisible kid I’ve got “Not me!” LOL It is so true though that kids today have way to much and really as a parent is hard not to allow it – awful I know but true. I love your ideas for Christmas and birthdays that is so awesome! I might just have to try something like that:) Thanks
LOL Yes, they know you’re coming!
My house has to be neat all the time during the week, because I doubt parents would feel comfortable leaving their kids with me if they saw what my house looks like on the weekends (ha ha ha). Seriously, I pick up toys three times a day, clean the kitchen and the bathrooms twice a day, my husband vacuums every night, and I wash the floors once or twice a week depending on how muddy it is outside.
I used to leave it all for the end of the day, but then the mess would escalate beyond ridiculous, I wouldn’t see my pillow until the wee hours of the morning, and my husband would never get any sex. As long as I stay on top of it (the toys, not the sex), the house stays more-or-less clean and tidy, and my husband (and I!) are (ahem) grateful.
Chantal- I have 10 children this week and I impressed with you no matter what.
the sock thing looks like mine and I only have two kids and they wear uniforms.
My solution seems extreme – I got rid of tons of “stuff”. We just don’t need it all. It creates mess. I feel like what we have now is manageable but we will soon be in need of another purge of DVDs, books, etc. They outgrow them quickly and they just take up space. We have hardly any toys and I purge clothes twice per year. I hate clutter but am not organized enough to deal with it. My house is still not perfect but this helps.
These days our kids have so much! We don’t even really do Birthday or Christmas presents because of this. They get what they need and then we put the money we would have spent to a charity and either one big thing they want or a family “experience” (a show, a trip, etc.)
Just a thought.