As a wife, homemaker, and mom, my life revolves around my house. It is the epicenter of my world during this season of life. It’s where I care for my children, fold laundry, wash dishes, make meals, play with my kids, sleep, relax…You get the picture. It’s essentially where I eat, sleep, work, and play. And I think there is something incredibly important about my space being livable and enjoyable. Notice I didn’t say clean though.
When we have company over for dinner, our house is close to spotless. We wipe down the tablecloth and counters. We wash dishes and run the dishwasher. The carpet gets a good vacuuming, and the tile floors get mopped down. The toys are put away in bins. A candle is usually lit. It’s never immaculate but it’s clean and something to be proud of.
But during our everyday life, the reality is quite different. The dinner table becomes a collection of small sized toys that the baby shouldn’t be able to reach. Dirty plates still sit on the counter or in the sink. Toys litter the living room floor. Crayons fall from the play bin as my daughters dig for other treasures to play with. And diapers and pull ups are always somewhere within sight.
This is real life, happening in my house.
While I would love to say I stay perfectly on top of housekeeping, I’d be lying. I wash dishes 2-3 times per day. I sweep and vacuum floors daily too. Meals are made to nourish my kiddos’ bellies. I leave the toys out because I know they’ll be played with later after naps. And you know why I leave some clutter around?
Because I’m hopeful that in laying down the obsession of cleaning perfection, I can find a sliver of time more to be present with my babies. I don’t want them to remember mommy constantly going, going, going, with no time to listen to their babbling ideas or build a lego tower. Don’t hear what I’m not saying. Keeping an orderly and cozy home is important. I truly believe that it provides a sense of peace and structure for children, but to have it be spotless is never my goal.
So yes, I advocate for messy houses because it means that stay at home moms are putting down their sponges, brooms, or vacuums to spend time with their kids.
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