Cleanliness

I've done a lot of cleaning the last 10 days - office, bedroom, and my car especailly. Those three spots are the hardest for me to maintain with any sense of order. The office because it's really the hub of our house, with it's three workdesks, tv, laundry area, and huge floor space Samantha spreads her dolls out in most days. The bedroom because if Sean is home, he's usually stretched out in there with food and drink working in bed (maybe because he can't see the surface of his desk to work there?). The car because Montgomery eats breakfast in there five days a week - bad habit, but most days he'd just skip it instead of giving up that extra 10 minutes of sleep - and Samantha brings along whatever she's playing with when it's time to go somewhere and then abandons it when we get back home. Since most days average 2 hours and 4 trips in the car for her, she ends up abandoning a whole lotta "crap".

It's so much easier to clean with Sean gone. My main cleaning method involves a very big garbage can and disposable cleaning wipes. Throw everything you can away, straighten what's left (ideally, nothing), and wipe off the surface you know will stay clear of clutter for less time than it takes the dog to sniff out a trespassing cat.

The one spot I can't touch is Sean's desk. The last time I did, he couldn't find anything for weeks. Somehow, he knows exactly where everything on his desk is. My brain locks up just looking at it, so I try real hard not to.



The car, there's really no excuse for. I told the kids they're going to have to get neater, or stop taking things with them. Let's see if the threat of no food and no toys can keep them neat for a while.

If not, they can start riding with their dad.