Parenting Without A License

You are An Obsession

Posted by Kimberly on May 26th, 2008 — Posted in The Agony and The Entropy, Kipple

Wow. I’ve been a terrible blogger. It’s been more than two weeks since I’ve even logged in here to blather on about the minutiae of my life. And more like a month since I’ve actually done so. Not out of any plan or design…It’s not like I’m in any kind of self imposed internet exile or anything (at least, not consciously). I just…haven’t. Which sucks. I miss this place.
So, what have I been doing with all that time I haven’t been spending in the blogosphere? Believe it or not, I’ve been cleaning the house.

No, seriously.

And not just cleaning it–organizing.

I know…I know…It’s hard to believe. ME, the Queen of Domestic Chaos, on an organizational spree worthy of a TLC franchise, but there it is. I have fallen under the spell of Debbie Travis. If it weren’t for her and her damn home design collection, I wouldn’t be constantly scanning my apartment, wondering what I can contain next.

My obsession started innocuously enough, with too many pairs of shoes, a thwarted trip to Ikea, and a bored glance through the Canadian Tire flier. It’s just sort of spiraled out of control from there.

First, the shoes were finally all neat and tidy and not cluttering up anywhere! I could find them! Any pair I wanted! It was a dizzying feeling of exhilaration.

Then I started looking at all the hats and scarves and mittens that needed to be packed away…And that was another set of pockets filled.

For a while, I was content like that. I, one of the most cluttered people on earth, had decluttered the front hall and I was feeling pretty darn proud of myself. But everywhere I looked, I kept seeing more and more stuff. Stuff that could go in pockets. Like, the sunglasses, sunscreen, skipping ropes, and other seasonal crap that replaced the mittens and hats that had been safely stored away and were now messing up my newly neat front hall.

And, if I hung the pocket on the outside of the broom closet, it would all be within easy access for the summer! Even better, I could put the swim suits, ballet gear, and Guide uniform there! Sure, doing so would deprive me of the opportunity to play the ever popular “Where’s My…..?” Game, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make in the name of Debbie and magical pockets.

Slowly but surely, all the available doors in my apartment have been taken over by my new addiction. Makeup, hair accessories, Groovy Girls, underwear…all that random crap that never has a real place of its own is finally contained in what I once thought was that mythical state of being known as “a place for every thing, and everything in its place.”

What’s even more amazing? They’re staying there!

I don’t know if it’s the novelty of actually knowing where things are, or the see through pockets making it that much easier to find things, or simply the magical pixie dust Debbie Travis sprinkles over all her products, but for once, The Ladies actually seem to be on board with the organizational plan. For once, they are not only getting thing from where they go….they’re putting them back.

I’m not saying that there’s not room for improvement. Or even that there’s not still a significant amount of kid rash covering the surfaces of our home. What I’m saying is that for the first time, I think I may have hit on a real life workable strategy for dealing with it.

All I need is a few more doors…..