Day 29 - Clean yet messy

OK, I had to do this label.  Mainly because of what's going on in my life.  Growing up, I was the "messy" child.  My room a mess.  I had a path from my bed to my dresser, door, and closet.  But don't be surprised seeing clothes and dolls and toys and books and anything else you could think of on the floor or under the bed.  My closet was full too.  I kind of was a hoarder.   I was blessed with parents that just kind of kept the door closed.

Now, my habits didn't really change until college.  Why is that you say?  Because at home, I wasn't in my room 24/7 - I had other areas in the house or outside to hang out.  College, you have a few places, but you spend a lot of time in the room.  Plus you had to share the room with someone else.

The first person I lived with was a neat freak.  Not good with a younger and messier person.  Needless to say we didn't last long.  But I did pick up a few better habits.  I moved in with my friend 2 doors down and she was messy.  I mean, I think she was worse than me.  But we made it work.  I stayed with her longer than any other roommate did - including her best friend from High School.  But we parted ways.  Then I found my soul-mate of a roommate.  She and I were a lot a like in our cleaning habits.  Net, but messy.  Unless we were upset, then the room sparkled!  Luckily that happened with her and then by me.. never at the same time.  Which worked out for us.  She unfortunately had to drop out after the one semester, but by then, I had a standard - Clean yet messy.  Never dirty/filthy.

I did student teaching with a bunch of people and they roomed 5 girls together.  Over all we were pretty clean in comparison - I mean parties usually were held in our house.  My actual roommate while there - well we both were a bit of a mess, but we manged.

Then after graduating college, I moved in with my boyfriend.  He wasn't "dirty" per se - at least initially, but left stuff out and about.  Because I didn't have a job initially, I kept the apartment clean and cooked and stuff.  So over all it wasn't bad.  Until I started working.  Then it kept getting worse and worse and me doing the majority of work to try and keep it up.  This wasn't the reason I divorced him, but I definitely was tired of doing it.

Having my own place was LOVELY.  Things were where they were supposed to be and if I didn't feel like cleaning, it was OK, but I knew I would get it done the next.  So I never felt stressed if people were coming for a visit.

Then I met someone.  When we first started dating, I was impressed, he kept helping around the apartment.  But once we moved into a house.. and he stayed home with our daughter.. it just kept getting worse and worse.  Add 2 more pregnancies and twins.. you get the message.

So, I have become "that" person.  Not that I'm neat by any means, but when you have kids you have to keep it clean.  I'm talking dusting and vacuuming and making sure you don't leave dishes out that mold and stuff.  I'm also trying to teach my kids to pick up things.  Especially while they're young.  My 7 year old folds her own clothes and puts them away.  She also likes to help dust and vacuum and will now even put dishes in the dishwasher.

In fact, I spent most of my Saturday cleaning up (again).  Someday soon, I'm just going to get someone in to do it all for me and tell the hubby he keeps it up or he's out (to refer back to a Project Runway -- Reality TV Junkie remember?)

Time will tell.  So I'm still messy - though I try and be more organized, too organized and I can't find anything.  But clean I am accepting that label finally.  How about you?