Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned From My Messy House

I open my make-up drawer to apply a disguise over my desperately -lacking- sleep face only to discover an open, half finished dum dum that had been abandoned by my daughter (I’m guessing) once she became distracted by my lipstick and mascara and eye shadows.  Next I scoot over to my jewelry organizer but the necklace that matched today’s outfit was tangled up with 3 pairs of earrings and a plastic rosary I got for my First Communion that I couldn’t bear to part with.  Skip it. 

Down in the kitchen I attempt to make tonight’s dinner and realize for the hundredth time that the spice rack I received from our wedding registry almost 10 years ago is simply taking up space (who uses Marjoram anyway?) so into the garbage it goes.  Now to make the kids’ lunches for daycare, so my head and most of my upper half disappear into the Tupperware cabinet while I search for a matching lid. 

Where do these lids go?!  I picture them meeting up with the missing socks from the laundry at a singles bar where they laugh themselves silly at the poor humans unsuccessfully trying to find their counterparts.  My house is messy.  Not filthy, not hoarder-style, but messy.  So I slowly tackle one project at a time.  I’m embarrassed to admit that most of my make-up was purchased at a girls’ night out trip almost one year ago.  I have flashbacks from an Oprah episode I watched once where a microscope revealed tiny micro-organisms living in people’s old mascaras and what not.  I dumped it all in the garbage (including the dum dum).  I should preface that statement by saying that my make-up can all be bought at Walgreens (not the Mac counter at Macy’s).  Underneath my make-up tray I find an old post-it from my husband reminding me that he loves me (he hid a few of these around the house a few years back when he left for a week long fishing trip to Canada).  Who cares about a messy make-up drawer when you are lucky enough to have a husband who REALLY loves you (whether you’re wearing make-up or not!) 

On to the jewelry box.  Surprisingly this project took less than an hour and deep in the drawers I found my 6 week ultrasound from Madelyn, my second-born.  It was probably her tiny fingers that tangled most of my jewelry up anyway but what a miracle it is to realize that this tiny “blip” on the ultrasound is now a tumbling toddler with a feisty personality and a passion for make-up and jewelry and shoes! 

My next step is the kitchen trash where I sadly gaze at the glass jars from the spices and the empty lazy-Susan spinning spice rack.  A light bulb goes off in my brain (it’s a 60 watt bulb but at least there are some synapses firing up there still!)  I wash each glass jar and lid and scrub any remnants of the trash off of the rack.  Then I fill each jar with a craft supply: some get filled with sticky eyeballs, others with pom pons and foam stickers, and still others with glitter and voila, my very own project organizer. 

And that’s when I realize that sometimes, things just need to be re-invented.  Like the women or men who move from the working world to the stay-at-home world when their children are born.  Or the stay-at-home moms and dads who must return to work to help financially support their families.  Or the empty-nesters who no longer have their children to define them.  Their “old” lives don’t need to be thrown away, just dusted off and visualized with a new spin.  My house may not be as clean as it was before I had 3 children, or 2 dogs, or this job, or my Pilates business but now the mess says to me, “Yes you are busy but you value time spent with your loved ones more than a dust-free, clutter-free abode.”  You may be wondering what lesson I learned from the Tupperware cabinet.  Nothing….I hate that cabinet and so I will wave the white flag and submit to the realization that it will always be messy no matter how many times I re-organize it!

P.S. I have 2 spots left in my next Prenatal Pilates class in Naperville starting Saturday, April 14^th from 9-10:30 AM.  I also have several spots left in my new Hinsdale Prenatal Pilates class.  If you or someone you know may be interested, please check out the respective websites (www.pilatesbycarrie.com and www.prenataluniversity.com )

P.P.S.  I have a few spaces left in my next Postnatal Pilates class starting Monday, April 16^th from 7:30-9 PM.  Visit www.pilatesbycarrie.com for more info.

These classes make unique Baby Shower gifts and Mother’s Day gift ideas!!!