After our blog “went live” we’ve had such a fun response. When I’ve spoken to other mamas face to face in the last couple days since, I have had a few inquire about time. One asked, where do you find the time?! My answer was quick and simple: my house is messier than yours! 

I will bet that it’s true, and I am actually okay with it. That is where the time comes from. We all carve time for the things that have to be done (like stocking food in the fridge, having clean underwear, and clearing a space to wash your hands in the kitchen sink above the dirty dishes), and things we want to be done (like making your bed, going to bed with an empty kitchen sink, toys picked up and in their place every night before bed, etc.) I do enjoy the latter things but not enough to make them routine. I do not carve time for those things, they are just fit in where ever.

My home is also maybe smaller than most. Its 1600 square feet 3 bedroom 2 bath, single story. Less steps, less stuff (in theory!), and less cleaning (in theory!). I’m good with the size. I will share my story with big houses a different day. The yard furniture is temporarily in the house as we sold one of our couches and the laundry really missed a place to hang out and get comfortable.

I love clean homes. I like to visit them. I would even like to live in one someday. But on a daily basis mine is not that house. I will give myself a little credit and say I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I clean the bathroom during bath time now that my kids are old enough to play together somewhat safely. I will sort laundry during that time as well. I end up washing at least one load of dishes per day, commonly two. I do sweep my floors when they look gross. They don’t get a courtesy mopping just because it’s a certain day of the week. The floors will speak to me when they want attention. When they do, I give it to them. It works out.

I just like dance parties and reading books better.

I am not raising slobs either. They both set their plates over, and my daughter really loves “helping” wash dishes. Both kids put their clothes in their hampers when they undress. If they are rested they will not whine as they clean up toys. My parents ran a pretty tight ship after dinner we all worked together to clean, do the floors, and tidy up. When I wasn’t sneaking off to go #2 (ha! Totally did that to get out of cleaning!) it was neat. I can see the value in it. I crave it sometimes in my own family. But it’s just not us. At least not every night.

I carve time for more fun things like this, watching shows while on the elliptical at night, or if I’m lucky a friend comes over after bedtime! Sounds so junior high but it’s so fun.

I had a new Dad tell me today that he never had placed a value on his time until his baby came along. Now he was treasuring every minute, with and without his son. So in love in the wonder of his baby and then wanting to make the most of his 10 minutes away from him. This is so true. Time is so valuable, in so many ways.

So remember my mamas, when you think a mom is doing it all or “How does she find time for that?!”(I’m totally guilty of momparisons!) Remember something always gives. That is the beauty in us all being different and spending our time differently. So much to learn from each other.