You know how Fly Lady talks about ‘hot spots’, her name for the parts of the house which gather clutter and the clutter somehow manages to reproduce until you have clutter, son-of-clutter and grandson-of-clutter on the same horrible surface?
This is my hottest spot. It was so hot in fact that I’d given up on it because whenever I tidied it the clutter just reappeared. May God forgive me for ever claiming to be a fly baby.
It is worth making extra note of the wicker baskets which contain all the computer gadgets my darling husband keeps in the kitchen, the pink tights we ordered from e-bay which I haven’t put away, the toy tank (in the kitchen???) the green bowl of colouring crayons (in case I want to colour in while I make tea perhaps) and somewhere at the back is some fruit, in bowls. Oh, and the bag of gifts I bought for a friend who had a baby weeks ago.
Now tidying this hot spot in a way that would last more than five minutes required a whole re-think on my part. Which I did in a surrendered way (of course), I said this surface is always so messy, how do you think I can organise it so it stays tidy?. My husband didn’t get back to me so a week later I suggested we move the plates and put the computer things in their old cupboard. He didn’t like that idea, but he was happy with me putting them where we kept our empty tupperware boxes. You see, I’d given him a week to prepare himself emotionally for the idea of me moving his toys highly important and essential technical equipment into a cupboard.
I gave the children ownership of their tank put it away or else and made the fruit bowls the main feature. There are two signs stuck up for all to read:
‘Anyone can be a father, it takes someone special to be a daddy.’ and ‘House rules: if it’s open, close it. If it’s on the floor, pick it up. If it’s dirty, clean it. If it’s hungry, feed it. If it’s sad, love it.’
