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[personal profile] danceswithgary
...are not what you might think. In fact, order is an impossible dream in the DWG household.

1. If you drop (place) something on the floor, you only need to pick it up if you need to use it right away. This means the camera case sitting in front of the TV stand will stay there until Val picks it up and puts it away, at which point all hell will break loose because you can't find the camera. Or helmet. Or gloves. Or.... In the meantime, the item nicely offsets the stack of VHS movies that are sitting on the floor instead of on the shelves because you were going through them four months ago.

2. The kitchen table's primary purpose is storage, not eating. Well, there's one spot you can place a cereal bowl and a glass, but the remainder is the prime place for your magazines and junk mail, keys, outdated lists, helmets, and anything else that hasn't been left on the floor (see Rule 1). The couch is where food and beverages are consumed.

3. Items on the desk in the study will remain exactly where you placed them, albeit precariously balanced, until the cows come home...and do the filing for you.

4. The spare room containing the treadmill Val uses is the optimal place for seasonal storage. At least the pajamas taken off three days ago to swap for ski gear are neatly folded in the middle of the floor. Your empty suitcase needs to stay right beside the door instead of being returned to the basement because of a final ski trip pending in three weeks. Ski boots look more artistic when they're not lined up against the wall, as does the box containing the few items of ski clothing not used this season.

5. Val really should have learned by now to watch her feet when walking through the house, especially during the overlap period for ski and motorcycle season.

6. Never look at daughter's room. She learned the rules from you. (see Rule 1 with the addition of used tissues)

*sigh*

I learned years ago that I could either be a raving bitch about housework or just do enough to make my life comfortable (my corner of the room/couch is very tidy) and leave the rest as-is. I consider it a triumph that wet towels are hung up and coats no longer accessorize the loveseat. Occasionally, when Gary is gone for a week or more, I'll break down and put things where they belong and there are no TV trays in the middle of the living room and stacks of papers/magazines dwindle. Then he comes home and it's as if he's marking the place, making sure it's clear that he's back, at least for a while.

Date: 2010-03-17 04:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mezzo-cammin.livejournal.com
Ha! Same here! What a good post!!

Me, I keep moving the dirty clothes hamper to where the latest pile of dirty clothes are accumulating in my daughter's bedroom and/or bathroom (hint, hint!), and the hamper ramains empty while the pile on the floor grows. I'v even tried not washing anything unless it's in the hamper. She buys more clothes.

Zen. It's where I want to be. *g*

Date: 2010-03-17 05:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] me-ya-ri.livejournal.com
*laughs* These used to be my rules and I loved them. Then I married a neat freak and my rules got completely revised. *sigh* The only one that remains the same is #6 for my sewing/craft room. Every time the hubby goes in I can count on a rant about throwing things away and neatening up. e_e

It's tough being a slob matched with a neat freak. Of course I'm sure it's just as annoying for the neat freak to be matched with a slob. ^_~

Date: 2010-03-17 05:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosy5000.livejournal.com
Yep, that sounds about right. lol Especially 1, 2 & 3. For #6, that would be my nephew's room. :P

Date: 2010-03-17 06:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jlvsclrk.livejournal.com
Oh snap, these are my rules, *iz embarassed* Yup, I've still got the suitcase from my Olympics trip in the middle of the room because I'm going on another trip soon, even if there's no chance I'll use that particular suitcase.

Date: 2010-03-17 06:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] djaddict.livejournal.com
ROTFLMAO!

Hey! When were you in my house?!?

Date: 2010-03-18 12:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] djaddict.livejournal.com
Well, my family and my in-laws are all neat freaks and my mother's house could be photographed at any time for "Clean house" magazine.
I, however, am a huge, pile-addicted, hoarding slob.

Date: 2010-03-17 08:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] epeters.livejournal.com
I think I'm married to your husband too. lol

The difference being instead of ski equiptment it's bicycle stuff.

Oh...and my Christmas tree, fully decorated is currently in the spare room. He says he'll get to it.

Date: 2010-03-18 01:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spazlady2002.livejournal.com
oh man this so sounds like my house. I have long ago given up on trying to teach the boys how to be neat. They can clean very well infact just not all the time. I so feel for you. :P
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