I’m sitting here in the dining/living room. Our barnhouse is very open, so the rooms don’t feel like rooms, except the bedrooms. Those are definite spaces with doors.

I’ve been watching a female oriole build her nest about a foot above last year’s nest, in the hackberry tree just beyond our patio. I’ve decided to focus on that, instead of the incredible disaster that is my kitchen and dining room table right now.

I can honestly say, it is never “company ready” on a day to day basis. It’s not a pigsty, but things pile up on the countertops and table, sometimes in the corners, as I've blogged about before. I decided awhile ago, that I had to choose between, having a super organized kitchen, that is always put away, with countertops that are always cleaned off, OR, having time to create art, sew and make quilts. I choose the latter, but in truth, it will drive me nuts if I let it. And, then my family suffers, because I go after the chaos with banging cabinet doors, swift movements, and no humor.

As happens often here on my blog, I really don’t have a solution, yet, to share that will solve this problem in my life. I don’t have a 3 step action plan for you. I’ve tried multiple organizing tips from other family, friends and even Pinterest; labels, task buckets, and minimizing.

What I have to do for myself, in this situation, is to focus on the relationships in my household, first. And then, with kindness, set forth my plan, in words….instead of rushing about, flying off the handle about this bad habit or that. I have trouble with the kindness part, with my family. I can do it with complete strangers. We often become that way with the relationships that are closest to us.

Just 2 days ago, I noticed my honeybees were especially active outside the hive, and I was afraid they were getting ready to swarm and I didn’t have my swarm trap built or up. I had a plan, I went after it. I snapped at my hubs of 35 years, because his shop has always been chaos, and he couldn’t find the tools or wire that I needed, in the speed I felt I needed it. It really didn’t matter, the swarm trap. What matters is my relationship, and I often forget that, when I’m hurrying around, trying to accomplish things.

So, what to do. Minimize, simplify, organize, declutter? I don’t know. Balance? That mythical, guilting idea, that we actually should strive for and achieve?

All I can do is continue to be mindful of relationships first, and establish some of the above tactics to make it easier to live in our house, continue fixing it up, and not have it fall into piles and piles of stuff that I have to clean up.

Feel free to leave some comments. Maybe you have a mindset or method that I can try. P.S. I like to have a tidy, but not sterile home, love to bake sourdough and make messes in the kitchen, and would prefer to sew over cleaning, every day. And, I live with my husband and son, who can look past piles of stuff, even better than I can. If you can help, apply below! Ha!

Your friend,
Anne Dovel - The Fit Quilter