This is not what I strive for...honest.
I've been told recently, by family and friends...in a variety of terms, that I need to lower my standards. My house can't be THAT bad. I have a child to take care of and I'm pregnant. A few dishes is no big deal. Laundry can wait to get folded. I need to put my feet up and paint my toenails. I need new expectations. I need to stop stressing over the "little things." Hopefully, some of you that have said these things (or even thought them) are reading this post.
There's also the other side of the coin. I put up a "To Do" list on Facebook and, on a really really good day, knock some of it out...and I inspire people. Can I just tell you how much of an inspiration I'm NOT? We all have good days, but mine are very few and far between as of late.
So, I decided to take a few photos of what my house looks like on a typical day. I hate doing this. However, maybe, just maybe, it will help everyone see things through MY eyes.
*Deep Breath*
This is one view of my kitchen. Yes, I wake up each and every morning to a sink with dishes and crap all over the counters.
The cutting board is filthy. That pan? It still has soy paste residue in it from dinner TWO nights ago. The smell, however, is sickening to me so I have avoided touching it.
Another view of the sink. (Ignore the brown package. That's thawing for later)
Why not just clean up before bed? Well, after running around after a toddler all day, spending time in the kitchen during the day making breakfast and lunch, and then spending MORE time making dinner the last thing I feel like doing is spending even more time in the kitchen in the evening. Stefan gets home after his 11 hour day (I hate you, Flight Chief) and he doesn't want to do anything either. *Rolls Eyes* we make quite the pair.
The kitchen is one of THOSE places for me, too. I'm picky about kitchens and bathrooms. If I clean nothing else in a house it's those places. A bad kitchen or bathroom will cause me to turn down an apartment. So, when my kitchen looks like this (or worse) I will actually avoid entering it because my anxiety gets going. I've been known to sit on the floor of a kitchen and cry because the mess was overwhelming.
That is a FULL SIZED Pack-N-Play full of clean laundry. This is what happens when the laundry "can wait" or whatever. My husband hates to fold laundry to the point that he won't do it. I can't fold during the day because my son wrecks folded piles. The only time I have to fold laundry is late at night...and after a long day who wants to do more chores, really?
Normally, I'd fold some laundry and put it on the dining table...the same table you see above. The stuff on the floor? Probably 80% dirty laundry that has yet to find its way to the laundry room.
More open space with random crap on the floor. If I could show you the state of the carpet I totally would. However, in order to vacuum there needs to be room to do so...and obviously that's not possible.
My entryway. Yeah, so even coming home is a disaster area.
An overall shot of the whole sha-bang. Diapers, laundry, toys, chairs, etc...
This is the entrance to the bedroom on a mild day. Sometimes there's several days worth of clothing on the floor. I recently picked up the rest of the room so it's not as bad as it was. (Think: Living room in the bedroom)
The Master Bathroom. Towels, clothes, baby toys...this is on a good day.
The first person to say, "A place for everything and everything in its place" will get a virtual smack in the face. We don't have that kind of storage. Yes, we have draws and cabinets...however, they're all at child level and he's in the "pull everything on the floor" stage of his development. "Well, just babyproof" right? Yeah, we have 3 drawers that will not work with drawer catches and cabinet catches are expensive. Roughly $15 for 2 locks (because we can't install them so they have to be the strong sticky kind) We would be locking at least 8 cabinets/drawers. That's $120 on cabinet/drawer locks and 1 very unhappy baby. He likes to climb in and sit with me while I cook sometimes. It's like a little chair for him. He's also putting items in and out of different drawers which, apparently, is a great way to learn spatial reasoning. (What size items fit best in which drawer kind of thing)
I don't strive for Show Home status. I used to, and then he got mobile. Right now, I'll take livable...and this isn't it.
