“Keeping house is like threading beads on a string with no knot at the end.” – Anonymous
Everyone knows that cleaning lady or has heard about her. You know the one who barely walks into your house and with every step she takes, your floors get less grimy and everything sparkles around her. Well, I wish I had one. But I don’t. My inlaws have one.
She will often offer great advice to me. Vinegar-water-with a squirt of Dawn Soap till you can see a faint tinge of colour, FYI, is an amazing houeshold cleaner and you don’t have to worry about the chemicals around kids.
I was telling her how Z gets into everything and keeping things clean at my house was impossible. It reminds me of this quote I read, that trying to keep your house clean is like trying to string a necklace wth no knot at the bottom. I feel that extra with a toddler. I’m not an overly neat person to begin with, but I try. With a toddler, trying is like the aforementioned quote.
So upon telling her my cleaning woes, I waited for some great advice. Something life-changing like the vinegar solution.
And sure enough, she delivered.
Her blue eyes twinkling, she said, “Just enjoy the mess!”
Now, when my house is a mess, like it usually is, I don’t walk around aimlessly picking up things, only to be dumped back a few seconds later. I revel in the mess that involves Cheerios, stray toy animals, and more. Plus, why string a necklace without a knot? I
do the stringing when Z is tucked into bed, when I know she can’t undo my cleaning…atleast for a few more hours, that is.
Doodling Through Life 
That’s the best advice. I love the necklace without a knot analogy. Babies are filth producers of the highest order. Great post.
Thanks! Tell me about it!
Oh goodness can I ever relate! Another one I’ve heard is “Trying to clean your house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while the snow is still snowing.” Or something like that :). Same message though. And really one that tells us to just enjoy the little things…or get a dog for those Cheerios :).
Lol about the snow. Cleaning is a bother. No dog so will enjoy the cheerios!
That is exactly how I feel when trying to keep my house clean! I have three boys ages 14, 12 and 10 and they are complete slobs, lol!
Oh gosh! Was hoping it’d get better with age lol
I have three brothers so just remembered it doesn’t! 🙂
I spent the whole weekend picking up after my eighteen-month-old son and you just gave me permission to stop and enjoy the Cheerios! Thanks for sharing!
Happy you liked the post! It’s hard to enjoy the mess especially when in full on cleaning mode but try to anyways 🙂
It’s a nice analogy–and so true! It is completely futile to try to clean up one mess as they are creating another! I only pick up toys now during naps and after bedtime. It is so hard to embrace the mess, but if you don’t, you will drive yourself insane!
True- embrace the mess! Love the duckie in mug pic btw!
I’m the same way! It’s like shovelling snow in a snow storm to try to clean while babies are awake! Besides, I’d rather be spending time with my daughter than cleaning anyway. Great post!
Thanks! Time is so much more valuable than cleaning 🙂
love this. my husband constantly says “your obsession with cleaning is just that- an obsession! It is not a medical condition! SIT DOWN!”. Why do we so frequently feel that we have failed motherhood by relaxing in an unkempt room? In honor of your post, I will enjoy our mess tonight! 🙂
Yay, enjoy the mess and have a good time :)!
Lovely post! I should remember this every night at I tidy up the day’s mess. Enjoy it more!
I know otherwise the mess will drive you crazy!