Growing up my parents house always looked perfect {or at least that's how I remember it.} Everything had it's place, it was clutter free, and every Friday was cleaning day where we didn't just pick up, but actually dusted, vacummed, or mopped. Yes, EVERY Friday! I was in charge of the living room and dining room and my bedroom. Speaking of my bedroom, I swear it was always neat and tidy. My mom may be able to remind me otherwise, but I'm pretty confident that she would agree with me that I kept it looking pretty good.
Now jumping into the future, if you would visit my classroom you would find it very neat and organized. Everything has a place, there are labeled containers, notebooks, shelves, cabinets...my desk is clean {it drives some of my fellow teachers crazy}, and even my pens and Sharpies are organized in the spinner on the corner of my desk.
I like things neat.
I like things tidy.
I thrive on organization.
So what's the problem?
My house is a disaster ALL THE TIME!
No matter how much I pick up, clean, wash, sweep, mop, it is still a mess.
It used to drive me crazy and I worked that much harder to stay on top of it, but lately I just find myself giving up the fight. Until I have a day when I can't take it anymore and then I become this horrible, ugly, mom and wife who gets really grumpy and yells at everybody about how she can't believe they live this way.
I often wonder what is different at school than at home and I think I figured it out. You see at school, it's only me! Yes, sure I share my room with 21 little people, but they only have a desk for their stuff and I make sure everything fits in that desk. When they get out materials, they know to put them back, and I even have classroom jobs of "bookworm" to straighten books and a "clean up crew" that goes around at the end of every day to make sure things are neat and tidy.
I leave my classroom looking so orderly and then come home to my house where things are everywhere, dishes are overflowing in the sink, shoes scattered, coats laying around, junk mail in piles, and bedrooms that look like a natural disaster just occurred. Yes, I confess that I do sometimes leave my dirty dishes in the sink and maybe a pair of shoes by the couch, but 3 other people also live in the house and their messes are everywhere too. I don't know what to do!
Being a working mom is exhausting and I feel like by the time I come home I just don't have any more fight in me. I work all day to stay two steps ahead of my students, email, meetings, and responsibilities and I admit that when I get home I just want to sit down and chillax.
But, something has to be done.
Cause I can't continue like this...
How do you manage to keep your house clean while you are working full time?? I'd really love to hear from my working mom readers.
