I am trying to slowly clean up around here. I want to get organized. Clear out. Create a peaceful, orderly, and tidy home. Unfortunately, everyone is conspiring again me in this effort. Sadly, I believe that I might be part of the gang of conspirators as well. I can disorder the orderly home just as well as the next person – maybe better. Here’s the order buster line-up in my home:
Son – at 16 he can make a mess but never look behind him to see what he hath wrought. Soda cans, socks, juice boxes, dishes crying for the dishwasher, and assorted teen son effluvia seems to trail behind him like one of those jet trails that stretch out for miles behind a fighter plane.
Daughter – at 19 she needs to put the things she is setting aside for her eventual flight from the nest somewhere. A portion of our living room seems to be a handy location for her to “store” such treasures. There sits the suitcase she took to LA several weeks ago as well – half unpacked but not yet gone. She may as well just clog up the whole area with her personal possessions. She is not the sort of person to do anything by halves.
Husband – he’s no cheerleader. He doesn't see the point in being cheerful when he can have so much more fun basking in the grey rays of the pessimistic. His approach in this situation is two-fold and satisfies his need to focus on the negative no matter what the outcome. If things aren’t in order he will revel in it and pointing out the sorry state of the household. If you attempt to put them in order he will deem it a hopeless attempt never to be met with even a fleeting success. It is another twist on his famous patented eternal loop of indecision and I find just as exhausting and defeating as the eternal loop. I call this move The Well of Dire Predictions. I believe its patented as well. It's a sort of business method.
Me – I am innately inclined to a certain level of disorder. I like to call it creative chaos. You don't need to tell me that I'm kidding myself - I already know that.
Today I was working on cleaning the dining room table off so I can showcase my Mother’s Day present. It is this beautiful STICKS lazy susan.

I have been tossing things off the table all week long. It’s the baby steps method. It takes a while but it works. This afternoon I struggled with another baby step - how to convince my husband to find a new home for the stuff he takes in and out of the house with him everyday. I can't believe how much stuff this guy can carry around in his pockets. His place of choice to load and unload his paraphernalia – the dining room table. Phones, pagers, and so much more of his stuff is scattered across the front of the table. It's not very decorative. I try the brainstorming approach with him – why don’t we come up with a cool idea together of how we can stash your things so that we can clear this table off. At first he comes up with some ideas – a bowl for instance. Okay.
Then it happens – he sits down on the sofa and says – What about all that stuff at the back of the table? I say – I’m getting to it (it’s camouflaged behind a big flower arrangement and a set of large candlesticks). He says – What about downstairs in the family room, when are you going to get that cleaned out? I say – I’ve been working on that. He says – You’ll never get it done.
We're in The Well of Dire Predictions. Now, he’s happy. Now, I’m not. That's the thing about The Well of Dire Predictions - no one seems to enjoy it except the patent-holder of the Well.
Will I succeed in overcoming all and create a tidy household at last and pull myself and our household up out of The Well of Dire Predictions?
Only time will tell.
But I'm hopeful since I hold the patent for the Suburban Strategy method.

My ex was the same way. It's getting done, so no complaingin allowed. Have a great week :)
Posted by: Carrie | May 28, 2006 at 11:21 PM
Hubby used to subscribe to the Dire Preditions phylosophy. Now, when asked when I am going to do something, I answer with "As soon as you......" He gave up his subscription.
Posted by: Cosmic | May 29, 2006 at 08:17 AM
There is an easy solution to this dilema. Put things on the couch, not the table. No one can bask in their crapulence when they have no couch. They have to clean it to use it. You've inspired me off my duff and into today's cleaning.
Posted by: Christopias Spritopher | May 29, 2006 at 02:00 PM
The tidy battle can never be won! I have many of the same issues. I am a big fan of baskets at strategic spots, like a counter top or a bathroom--you can throw all sorts of crap in it, but it still looks decent. (because it's contained!)
Posted by: Margaret | May 29, 2006 at 02:03 PM
Hey from Atlanta. I love your lazy susan! Your children have good taste and know you quite well!
Posted by: Best Friend | May 29, 2006 at 08:36 PM
Well, I have been blessed by a man who cleans better than *I* do. Occasionally it is annoying, but you know what? It's worth every bit of it. You can remind your hubby that you can always find a guy who's a neat freak ;)
Posted by: radiogurl | May 29, 2006 at 09:40 PM
I would love to get a handle on my chaos, too, but I'm never home long enough. :(
Posted by: Wyndspirit | June 03, 2006 at 11:56 PM