Cofessions of a Tardy and Unorganized Mom

If you read Parenting the Early Years magazine, check out the September 2009 issue, pages 121 starts a great article on Tardy Mom's.

Now I am one of those. And this story is around a family who has children in school, and weekend sports. The son's kindergarten "report card" had 50 tardies on it! Now as surprising as this is, I could SO see this being me!

I have been learning, alot. I also confirmed with this story many of us forget to add in the "load time" which is counting for one last diaper change, or mess, to load up the stroller, coats, shoes, hoodies, sippies, water, cell phones, diapers...you name it. So adding in an extra 15 minutes just for loading up the car, is a very important part of the leaving ritual.

I have started counting backwards when I am getting ready to leave. I start with when we have to be somewhere. Let's say a party starts at 2 pm. If the party is 1/2 hour away, giving unload time too (about 5 more minutes) now we are at 1:25 pm to leave.

LEAVE at that time. Which means if I need 15 minutes for "loading" everyone and everything into the car. Now we are at 1:10. Depending on the season, summer is less complicated, winter involves coats, hats, boots, ugg. We may need about 20 minutes to leave. Weather too adds into drive time, good god at this rate a 2 pm party means I should leave at 9 am!

Don't forget the time it takes for me to pack. Just a day of errands? A diaper bag for Weaky, and some extra clothes for Bagel. I pack a small cooler, with snacks and sippies, extra milk too.

But I guess getting this all out the night before and ready would be ideal. I guess also planning to run the errands or the store, prior to my normal spur of the moment idea, while the kids are grumpy and in desperate need of naps would be genius on my part too.

I want to be organized. I don't need to be OCD, and obsessive about a schedule. I don't ever see that one happening. (yes friends. laugh to yourself. I know, I know) but maybe a bit less carefree about my planning, get a schedule down for events. Get things together the night before, and maybe there would be less hostility on my part getting the dogs to there crates, the kids in the car and more happiness in the car, a happy ride. v.s. a non speeding, but get the eff out of my way mom who snaps at every whine and sippy cup plea.

Even with out the kids around. Let's say I have a free day! I again, am late. Why? I mean I have NO one but myself to get ready. But I am so involved in enjoying my free time, strolling around the house, rocking out to loud music, reading a magazine, scrolling around online, that I still forget I take forever to pack myself up and get ready to go also.

About a year ago, well even before that I started reading organizing books. (I know some of you this comes natural, and you may think a book on this is silly. But to people like me I need it ALL spelled out, the notes and lists prewritten. Hand held through the WHOLE process) These books along with the help of Flylady have really started me in the right direction. I have reminders emailed, Facebooked, and Twittered to me to do my laundry, clean up a "hot spot,"shine my sink before bed, put on my shoes to clean the house. I mean this whole housewife thing is hard. And adding SAHM to the list is insane!

How about a Personal Banker refinancing a mortgage for someone?

Need IRA advice?

Cashier at a Casino paying out $14,000 dollars to someone?

Holding down a 85 lb Rottweiler to get a nail trim?

Route the schedule and map for a concrete company to deliver underground pipes to ComEd work site in Chicago?

Short order cook at a very popular pizza restaurant during the weekend rush?


Sure. I did all those things. Fast, and efficiently.

But after thinking about it, those are all hard jobs too. But after some wondering why I just can't master the multitasking of this job? I mean it's my house, my stuff, my rules, my kids, my schedule?

Oh... that's it, isn't it?...

It's my responsibility. That's why. Because I am the boss. And since I seem to be a bit more relaxed and wing it 99% of the time, and the thought of a daily schedule, seems not so freeing to me. I balk at the thought of being so strict with myself.

But after reading this article, and understanding that even though my kids are not in any school (yet! Next fall!) or activities (Tumbling in a few months!) I really need to just get my day to day errands set, my things more organized around the house.

And with this I am realizing that with a bit less of mess, or a lot less of mess, my life and chaos may go to the wayside.

I need to warn you about the next picture. Some of you may real back in your computer chairs, or turn your heads like a curious puppy wondering if this was staged for blogging purpose.

Umm... sadly. No.

This is my bedroom floor. I do live out of laundry baskets, and the floor. This picture was taken yesterday. This is something I seriously fail in. I hate laundry to no end, I think it is the worst punishment for anyone to have to do.

If you don't know, I have started a whole separate blog on organizing my house (you guessed right that that blog ended faster then it started. But check out this post on my 18 lonely socks. I have often posted about a hate I have for laundry, and I would join a nudist colony if I could.

You have to want to be organized. Again may be silly to some to not want to be organized. But I had to want to put the effort into it.

I want to put the effort into it.

See how "Sleeping with the Enemy" my cabinets are?

And there was a point where you couldn't even see the bathroom floor there was so many clothes on it. The counters were full of clothes, and just stuff. Now this is the cleanest room in my house.

I am trying. I will get this. And I do believe my schedule will reflect my home.
(yes I painted the bathroom with no tape on purpose. And that is an original Blue Man Group painting done on stage sold for $40 after the show, first one to get there gets it!)