Keeping a Spotless House

Now if you showed up right now, you'd find doll strollers blocking the front door (from taking the baby,aka Greta, and the baby dolls all on a walk), doll clothes strung on the floor of the toy room, crayons and markers scattered all over the table and floor, dishes piled in the sink, folded laundry on the ottoman, Playmobil set-ups in each of the girls' rooms, flip flops and crocs strewn all over, and a enormous pile of ironing on the floor of my bedroom. All three girls went to bed tonight at 9:30, and what am I doing with me free time? Obviously NOT CLEANING! This is usually the way the house looks each night, but some mornings I get the dreaded call from the listing service saying that an agent would like to show our house. Usually I get a 24-hour notice, which still isn't enough time. Monday, I got the two-hour notice. Fortunately, Greta took her morning nap during this time. But I also had to pick-up Elsa from kindergarten which takes at least 30 minutes (driving, waiting in line, dropping off Addison, and getting back home). Make that one hour and 30 minutes to get the house sparkling clean.

My trick or more like sanity (thanks to those friends who've given me great tips) involves three things - 1. Ava's trundle (there isn't a mattress in it), 2. The dryer, 3. The car trunk (mini-vans have A LOT of trunk space). All my folded and clean laundry and ironing get thrown back into the dryer. All the school papers, bills, miscellaneous items get thrown into a laundry basket and taken to the trunk of the van. Everything else - toys, unfinished projects, packages, etc. - gets thrown into the trundle. Ava keeps asking when she is going to get her "other bed". Honey, not until we sell this house! I spray down the bathrooms, dust the picture frames, lamps, and any flat visible surface, vacuum the house, lay down all clean rugs (I have two sets and pull-up the clean ones after each showing and lay back down the not-so-clean ones)and it all looks fabulous. My problem is that afterwards, I don't go back to the dryer or the trundle or the trunk to get the discarded items. This is why my life is completely unorganized. I'll put a blanket apology out there right now. I have REALLY good intentions and big plans that are thwarted by these dreaded showings. I've forgotten bills that needed to paid, projects that the girls needed to finish for school, papers to be signed, book orders to be placed, thank-you notes to be written, clothing that needs to be returned, phone numbers and to-do lists misplaced. I can go on and on.

It is daunting, so I ignore all of it and blog instead. Maybe this is where my problem lies. I will get off soon and at least get the school papers organized. I need to print out pictures for an "all about me" scrapbook page for Ava. (This was due last week.) Do I still have the excuse that I have a newborn (even though she is four months old)??? How long is this grace period? What about the excuse of having a husband who is gone during the week? Or having a child in kindergarten (the awful hours) and a preschooler? Do any of these excuses work? Or is this no different than anyone else who accomplishes great things with similar time contraints and obligations? At least I am happy in my chaotic life. This counts for a little something...at least to me and my children.