Monday, July 5, 2010

Seeing Other Mamas' Messy Houses


Look familiar?! It does to me. Even though it's not a picture of my house, the similarities are striking, and it makes me feel better knowing that I'm not alone in the messiness issue. It's gotten a bit better as my children have gotten older, but clutter (particularly from toys and laundry) still abounds. 

While I wish my house weren't this way, I've also come to the following conclusions about it:
  • It's bigger than I am, and I'm just not going to win. So I may as well not get all huffy and worried about it.
  • When my children are grown and gone, I can have a tidy house. (Of course, then I'll be sad that they're grown and gone and won't be motivated to clean it up even then.)
  • People--especially other Mamas--are much more comfortable visiting my house if it's already messy.
So do yourselves a favor, Mamas, and don't fret about the messiness. It's just part of the season we're in. If you're expecting company, consider leaving all those toys on the floor. You want your guests to feel at home, don't you? And if you are the one visiting another Mama's house, let her know how much you appreciate her not going out of her way to clean up for you.

On second thought, that might not go over so well. Better know how she'll interpret that one before you say it.

Mama Question: Do you keep your house tidy, let it go, or something in between? What about when you're expecting company?


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"It's bigger than I am, and I'm just not going to win"
What a total cop out for just being a lazy slob.

All you are doing is just looking for excuses and reasons why it is ok to live in a pig sty. Disgusting.
Wrong message for the kids.

LaurenR said...

I think you're awesome Carrie! Your kids are creative, polite, caring, wonderful little people. Not every area of your life can be perfect. Something will slide on occasion.

Sometimes the perfectly clean houses are signs of deeper issues too. Just sayin'

Anonymous said...

The truth is, I have no life and I just sit on the internet all day looking for ways to make myself feel better. Usually I post anonymously on people's blog and rarely have anything good to say.

your house is far cleaner than my house is and I am a homebody with no children.

Kellene said...

I think anonymous should worry about teaching their kids about integrity versus judging people. Are your kids healthy? Are they well adjusted? Do they know they are loved? Do your children understand that they stand behind their statements not hide behind anonymous statements? Girl, there are so many more things that children need to learn. The first thing is integrity because this will alllow them to tell when something is just messy versus a pig sty.
I mean c'mon for crying out loud own your stuff in life, people.
Don't be down on the next man for telling the truth or knowing that we are all humans. We all do a very bad job at it times. However, that doesn't make us less human than the next guy/gal. A messy house of a truth teller is far better than a clean house of an individual without integrity.
-Kelly

Casey said...

"Cleaning and scrubbing can wait til tomorrow
But babies, we know, grow up to our sorrow
so quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and
babies dont keep."

I think that person missed the whole point of the blog :)

but anyway-- As a mother of 2 kids
I have a natural tendency to want things clean in order because in all honesty it makes me feel like I am in control and in some tpe of order but naturally that is not always possible and unreasonable.
This poem above that my mother once told me always come to mind & hold it close to me...

You want perfection to be your focus in your home that means your having to give up or shortcut something else which probably means your children. I'll take a messy house any day than knowing I didnt give everything to my kids to help them to learn, explore & do the samll things that will be the most to them.
I rather take a short cut on my house than short cut when my kids when they need me the most.

I dont remember a house full of toys everywhere when I was little I remember my parents giving me that extra effort & attention which carried with you until your an parent.