My keeping it real post

I want to be organized. I want to be tidy. I find peace in a clean home. I have a sick obsession with the Hampton Inn because of this. There, the room is clean, bed is made, and you get free coffee in the lobby. I love staying there. This is how I envision my home. Everything is put away. No dust. No clutter. Beds are made. And a big pot of fresh coffee in the kitchen, 24/7. A girl can dream. Yes, this is not my reality. Not even kinda. I am disorganized. Even when I organize, it is a mess. Housekeeping is not second nature to me. I think I have actually googled how to organize and keep a clean home more than I have actually organized and cleaned. Anywho, it is an ongoing battle. I know I have gotten better(trust me. Just ask some of my college/law school roomates, they'll tell ya horror stories). But, it is a constant struggle. But, I won't give up. I will find my inner Martha Stewart and rock the housekeeping thing...someday... But, it's about time. And, no, not that I don't have any. I think about a year ago, I realized that excuse was, well, just an excuse, We all have the time. We all get 24 hours in a day. That is ALOT of hours, right? It is about priorities. I could keep a tidy organized home if I devoted more of my time towards it. But, on my list of priorities, it kinda comes in second to last. I would rather knit or read to my kids, take pics, edit pics, google how to take better pics...you get the point. I know I need more balance, I get that part. So, I will work on it. Now, I gotta tell you...I am not alone in this struggle. I think 99% of moms have a mess on their hands and feel bad about it. I used to feel guilt. Now, I don't. It's not the end of the world. And, I gotta tell you, when I go to a mama pals house, and her house is a big cluttered mess, well I like her even more...I think, 'ah yes, my kinda people.' I don't think you are incompetent, no, I think you have priorities like mine, which probably means we, and our kids, will get along just fine. And, I love you for your imperfection. So, here is how my home really looks, most of the time. ;)

 

The kitchen counters are never clear. Ever. I like it when they are, but that hardly ever happens. 

 

About a year ago, I was reading this home magazine, and I saw the most brilliant spice drawer. Inside the drawer was a raised wooden step like contraption where all the spice bottles(in identical glass bottles with identical labels) rested. It was genius. I thought, 'for sure I am doing this.' Well, I never found those raised wooden contraption things, and well, to make a long story short, this is what I ended up with...sigh...

These are the two most favorite corners in my kitchen. On the left...I don't have a good place to store my camera gear. So, I keep it here. It is kinda messy out in the open like that, but it makes for easy lens changes and grabbing the camera real quick. On the right...wiping up coffee stains is pretty easy, so why it eludes us? I cannot say.

Piles of laundry look better in black and white, no? Okay, so these are clean. I can wash and dry the laundry. And, I do ALOT of laundry. But folding it? Putting it away? Who do you think I am, June Cleaver? Gheesh.

Yes, who has time for cleaning? I would much rather...practice my speedlite skills.

With Paul.

Who was not feeling too well.

And quickly lost his modeling patience.

So, I relied on the most trusty model in the house...Jude...

Now, from the bathroom, I called to Joe, asking him to bring me my camera. He hesitated and told me he was not sure he could help me since I washed his only pair of jeans. See, to make sure his pants stay out of the washer/drier/laundry pile mess(basically lost to the world for a few days), he will hang them up on this hook thingie in our room. I thought I could wash and dry them before he needed them(they needed to be washed). I was wrong. But, he relented and brought me my camera. And I snapped away cause Jude was being extra cute. :)