There is a method to my madness:

Hello, my name is Laura and I am a neat freak.

Now that I have stated that I have issues we can all move forward on the same page.

I believe that there is a place for everything and everything should be in its place. I understand that when something is being used it should be out, but when you are done with said item it should be put away. I don’t think this is a hard concept to grasp. My two-year-old son knows that if he takes out a toy to play with, he has to put it away before another toy can be taken out.

Granted, I lump toys into “categories” (these quotation marks are meant to be air-quotes: please note a tone of mockery as I air-quote the term categories). For example, the transportation “category” consists of anything transportation related. This includes but is not limited to cars, garage, race track, trucks, and airplanes. My philosophy about play time is this: if you are going to play at something embrace it wholeheartedly. What fun is playing cars if you have nowhere to drive them?

This being said, all toys are to be cleaned up after we are done playing with them. I am holding on with dear life to my me time at the end of the night. I refuse to spend the little amount of peace and quiet I have picking up and organizing toys. Refuse is too harsh of a word. I have spent my me time cleaning up toys, but I have moaned and groaned and mumbled under my breath while completing the task.

My family thinks I am more than a little crazy when it comes to my need to control and organize. I was not always like this. Before I met my husband I was a go with the flow type of girl who lived in utter chaos. I used to be a slob! I both blame and credit my husband for this about face. My husband is a clean, organized, and efficient person. He has worked very hard to try and instill these qualities in me. He has not always met with success. He has frequently been met with irritation and scowls when he has tried to “help” me, but eventually I do get there.

I like that I know exactly where something is when I go to look for it…most of the time. I like that my house appears to be nice and neat. I like that if someone drops by unexpectedly I am not ashamed to open my home to them. I like for things to be put away where they belong.

I have no delusions of grandeur. I am not Superwoman. My floor might need to be swept and mopped for the 40 millionth time that day because my toddler thinks it’s funny to swing a fork full of food around his head like a helicopter. Yes, my stairs could probably use a good scrub with the carpet cleaner again. That is on my to do list and will eventually get done.

My theory is that if my home is nice and neat and organized; my day to day life will run more smoothly. Yes there are hiccups. There will always be hiccups. But, if I am organized my children will hopefully learn from the example I set. I will be able to spend my time doing things instead of looking for them.

My sister-in-law informed me today that since she grew up watching her mother clean and organize absolutely everything; no one else seems crazy in comparison.

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