Quitting On Clutter



I’ve had it.

I’ve reached the breaking point and now there is no going back.

I need order!

Before our family grew with our three children, I was an organized freak. I could tell you where everything was in my home, to the point where people would think it eerie. I like to think I was under control of my clutter and decently organized. Maybe I was kidding myself then and just had a really good memory for where I placed all my junk.

Who knows! The point is, then, it was handled well. I never lost things or found them weeks after I needed them. Not the case now.

I have my organizing tips and great moments where there are things in place, and there are even closets, rooms and drawers that are totally organized. But the clutter is getting out of hand. Case in point, tonight.

Tonight I was thrilled to have a family night in with my husband and children and we had planned our night to watch, for the first time, Cinderella!

We had introduced the music to the kids before and they already knew the song the mice sing when making Cinderella’s dress. Needless to say, they were excited.

I had purchased the DVD as a Christmas present and I knew I had put the DVD with our other new DVDs in the living room. I was positive I had done this. Well, once the popcorn was made and the kids were all sitting nicely on the couch, when it was time to put in the movie, we couldn’t find the DVD.

“I know it was there. Did it fall under the couch?”

“Check the DVD library downstairs, maybe someone brought it down to put it away.”

“Did you check upstairs?”

“Why would it be upstairs?”

“I don’t know!”

“Wait, check out luggage from last weekend, maybe we brought it with us when we went to visit your parents.”

“Maybe it’s in that bin of random things in the living room...”

And so it went on...for close to half an hour.

Luckily, the kids didn’t get too antsy waiting. It was coming to the point where we were going to watch something else instead, but I was determined to find it. And I did! It was in the least likely place and I am still wondering how I even thought to look there, but I found it and we enjoyed the movie from start to finish with giggles and popcorn (what was left of it).

But while we were sitting there, I was fuming a little. “I will not let this happen to us again!” I was chanting in my head.

If you have seen some of my tweets, you know that I have a crush on Peter Walsh. I not so secretly wish he could come here and make all the clutter disappear with his magic organizing ways. But truth be told, it’s not magic. I know exactly what he would say to me:

“Are you using it? Do you love it? Why are you holding on to it?” And then he would take my stuff and throw it in a big garbage bag to get it out of my home.

I am the typical case study for Mr. Walsh. I have the “I’ll use it someday” clutter and the “there is a memory I’m holding on to with this” clutter. It has a lot to do with unfinished projects and the loss of many important people in my life that gave me things.

Classic clutter. I know.

Then, add to this the mountains of artwork my little one is bringing home on a DAILY basis from Kindergarten, and the toys that have accumulated over the last few years, and you have a home that is bursting at the seams.

Spring may be far away, but I cannot wait any longer.

Do I have the time to clean shop? No, not really. But according to Peter Walsh, all I need is 10 minutes a day. And as much as I love the guy, for a mama of three, that is highly unlikely. The sheer amount of distractions and objects I find that do not belong in the room I’m in will challenge me big time to get anything done in 10 minutes.

I will try.

Perhaps I will even make it a weekly feature here at Ask Mama MOE...

After tonight’s chaotic mishap, I want to be able to enjoy future moments instead of racing around trying to get it all together.

So tell me, how do you organize your space? What is your biggest challenge with clutter and children? I’d love to read them in the comments below for inspiration!