I love being a mom. I love being home because it is my passion to give my children the freedom to be imaginative, creative, and independent at their own personal pace.
I love having a fridge with water in the door because it means my kids can get themselves a drink of water whenever they need one from a very young age. It seems like a small thing, but is pretty big to a three year old. The only problem is that I have, or had, to get them a cup because they’re in a high cabinet. They do the pull-a-chair method at times, but I remember as a child always climbing onto the cabinets and getting whatever I needed. I know it sounds a little strange, but it always felt fun. The independence as well as being up high was cool. I’ve actually wondered why my kids didn’t do that. I thought maybe I was older when I did it.
Now I know why. The counters were too covered in junk.
Since I cleared off the counter directly under the cabinet with the cups, my 5yo has figured out this method on his own. I know it’s weird, but that makes me tear up. My kids are VERY creative. People are often amazed at their incredible imaginations. They are generally good problem-solvers. But my clutter has been a block. They can’t be everything they are capable of when there’s junk everywhere.
Not coincidentally, they’re playing like crazy this morning in our very clean house. Imaginations soar when they are freed from clutter.
Very inspiring 🙂
I've been wrestling with this stuff forever and I have a lot of the same issues you do. I've had perfect closets and trashed rooms for ages, because I can organize but maintenance what fun is that?
I finally feel for the first time since I had my kids that my living room works. And it's such an incredible joy to see how differently my kids play in a clean space. They can run around, they don't strew stuff, and they don't mind picking up. I got a coffee table at Ikea and modified so trucks fit underneath and now my son actually plays with all his beloved trucks and then parks them away. And when he doesn't I can pick everything up in 5 minutes, and I want to, because it feels better for me.
That is I think a huge part of all this, like you I never thought making my bed was important. I thought this was all stuff I was SUPPOSED to do. Now it's getting easier to do it, because I want to do it for me.
When I was a kid, the house was constantly cluttered. As in no flat surfaces available. The difference is that my parents expected my brothers and I to clean FOR them. Not with them but FOR them. Everything. Since a very very young age. I think it was six…. This led to my love of cleanliness since in order to avoid getting yelled at/grounded/whatever, if the house was already cleaner it was easier to take care of so I could go play. That being said, my parents were huge slobs, so it never stayed that way. 🙁
I totally relate to you, Amber!
i thought i was the only one! i always thought my dad was obsessed with cleaning since he was always yelling about it, but ever since my sisters and i have moved out, their house is a sty.
I have been having the same feeling like I am stifling my kids creativity by keeping them surrounded by clutter. I know I need to change things!
All I can say to this is amen. And it’s not just kids who have problems with creativity. I know when my kitchen is cluttered, it’s not much fun preparing meals. When the living room is a mess during the holidays, it’s no fun to decorate. Not even going to get into my office-turned-storage-area. But I’m chipping away at the excess a little at a time since I’ve started reading your blog.
I think one of the most helpful things I’ve found so far is taking photos of all the rooms…and from different angles. I think when you’re used to living with clutter, it just looks ‘okay.’ But photos shine a light on problem areas. So every day I’ve been pulling up a picture of the area I want to declutter, and am making great progress. So thanks for that great idea. Obviously I didn’t start from the end right at first, but I’m finally heading in the right direction by going backwards. 🙂
I just found your blog today and I did as you said starting at the end, it feels like you are in my head reading all my thoughts 🙂 I really struggle with keeping my house clean and since I have a 15 month old it is necessary to keep the floors clean, even though I know this it still never gets done. This one really got me though and I feel that you are absolutely correct, my kids play differently and more creatively when there is a clean place to play……that said, I cleaned my family room and organized all the toys (which is way too many!!!). Thanks for giving me some motivation to just get started.
Beautiful
Wow this almosy made me shed a tear too. My sons room is a clutterdaster but hes like always in there watching his tv, playing with toys, drinking his milk from his straw cup. He absolutely loves it in there becauase i made it his play room since we have a small living room. Ill put one or two toys in the living room and now and then he will crawl out to the living room to see what everyone is up to, but then he will waddle back in his room and do his thing. Its not so bad that he could get hurt mind you, its just his vloset is stuffed with medical package boxes of his,toys hes had since he was born that ive already decluttered a couple times. His pack and play bed, his highchair bc its so bulky to keep in the kitchen. And some other random stuff. I declutter it but those medical boxes take over big time. Ive just recently got a trash pick up service so now i can bag the cardboard up cuz they wont take anything unbagged. I have a few things to get done tomorrow because its his bday party. I will see if there is anything i can get done in there bc i want him to Be able to have more room and enjoy every inch of space that he has. He loves hia room! And so do I!
I also climbed counters when I was a kid, and I really loved doing it! But my parents always yelled me and told me to get down.