So let’s just talk about the difference in mess for a second… My house, I believe, will never be Pinterest clean. God bless the full time working Mom’s that have time to work, cook, clean and keep their children alive. For me, I have time for 3… and keeping my children alive is pretty high on my priority list, so the house usually goes to crap.
During the week, we survive in “livable mess”… which basically means that the kitchen has 60% of the available counter space covered with dishes, toys, last night’s pots and pans, or clean bottles. Over the weekend, we try to clean and organize only to have the kids tear everything apart and wonder why we even tried to clean in the first place. This is our life.
Once or twice a month, we live in “family mess” … which means, someone from my family or my husband’s family is coming over to visit and we need the house somewhat clean, but it’s okay if toys are still out because… well, that’s life. We try to run the vacuum, clean off the dining room table and clean the kitchen; but that doesn’t always happen. And it’s okay, because it’s family. By the way… this is what our entry way looks like 90% of the time (hopefully minus the crying child).
Every once in a while I get stressed out because I’m an extrovert, love my friends, have two kids, no money and decided to invite our friends over for dinner. Now, I have to have the house, “company clean”… which is basically Pinterest clean, but instead of everything having a house and home… everything gets shoved into our bedroom or the garage, we close the door and pray no one asks to use the master bathroom.
Normally I have about 2-3 weeks notice for “company clean,” but since I’m a FTWM you want to know when I start cleaning? The night before. Why? Because I have no time. Why do I torture myself and stress myself out? Because, I don’t want people to feel uncomfortable in my livable mess. But here’s the revelation… people that are coming over know I have 2 kids, know that I work full time, and know I love to cook and not clean.
So this week, Ryan and I had some friend’s over and we didn’t “company clean” the house. We family cleaned it. Because, really… if I’m having you over for dinner in my house, you’re family anyway. And I’m hoping that my friend’s words were true… they didn’t mind, they just liked spending time with us.
I think that Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest put so much pressure on mom’s to measure up and keep their lives 100% organized 100% of the time… and life is just not like that! My house has NEVER been like that… My Instagram will never be curated. It will never be pretty. Because life is messy, my house is messy. I just hope that I’ve surrounded myself with people that are okay living in the mess with me. It will get better. I hope. Someday. When the kids move out.
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