I’ll Pretend My Ship’s Not Sinking


This week, I am in New York with my kids while my husband is back in Northen Virginia.  Instead of the usual laundry list of home repairs, I left him with one request…

GET RID OF ALL THE JUNK!

 

“What does that even mean?” asked my husband, who is still sore about me throwing out his inflatable goal post and Little Whizzer Liquor Dispenser statue from college.  (Please click on the link. Why would anyone own this?)

 

“It means this junk…rubber duckies from a goody bag from 3 years ago, spider rings from last Halloween, a cheap yo-yo, and basically anything that looks like it comes from the Oriental Trading Company.”  I said.  (I confess I am guilty of purchasing junky goody bag items myself.)

 

For the past few years my usual clutter free ways have gone out the door.  I used to get complimented all the time about “how clean” my house was.  Now I find myself going down a slippery slope of a messiness that is impossible to overcome.  The cards seem stacked against me.  I have two little active boys, and I work from home.

 

Where did my aversion to clutter come from?  My parents are messy and save everything.  I am currently staying at their home and had trouble finding a pen in a drawer without running into a Kohls coupon from 2008, crumpled tissues, lipsticks, jewelry, a random spool of thread and more.  I vowed to myself that when I have my own house one day, I would not let it become like this.  Don’t get me wrong, my parents are not hoarders.  Their house appears “clean” on the outside, but if you open a drawer or closet, things will start falling on you.

Picture of one of my parents’ many “junk” drawers.

 

Who knows what, if anything, my husband threw out while we were away, but I am inspired to go back home and start fresh again.  Do you need help with clutter? There are some great, local professional organizers that advertise on this page.  Their sites even contain some useful tips.

 

I hope we can breakout of our messy cycle.  Next year I will have a preschooler and a kindergartner, so lots will be coming home in those little backpacks.  (Let me tell you how psyched I am to experience that 3 year old “artwork” again.) Will I stay on top of things, or is clutter really no big deal? Stay tuned for an update, and share your favorite tips below or comment on the Super NoVA Mommy facebook page.

 

Clutter, I’ll tell myself I’m over you!

 

 
 
 
I take no responsibility for cheesy 80′s songs getting stuck in your head, and I’m embaressed to admit that is one of my favorites. See the You Tube video here, you will love it.

 

Tags: , ,

5 comments on “I’ll Pretend My Ship’s Not Sinking”

  1. supernovamommy on said:

    I am turning comments on for the first time in awhile. If I find the page gets too “cluttered” with spam, I will turn them off again.

  2. Amy on said:

    I am right there with you on this. I *wish* we could get rid of more of our junk and that is one of my goals for the fall once the kids are back in school.

  3. Amy on said:

    I completely understand!! Here is a wonderful blog that has inspired me to organize my house, one room at a time!

    http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/

  4. Autumn on said:

    I always feel like there are little places throughout my house where clutter hides and spawns, and I never can seem to get on top of it. Also, I was watching a rerun of Ellen recently, and one of her guests gave her one of those Little Whizzer statues, identical to your photo! She was a lot more excited about it than you were. :-)