March MAIDness: Day 8 – The Best Advice My Mom Gave Me

I have a confession.

I am human.

Which means I have some serious failings.  But it also means that life happens to me just like it does to everyone.  Things come up, plans get changed, intentions go by the wayside.

Even in the midst of a series on cleaning, my house can become what I like to term a “serious mess.”  I mean, we are talking beyond 15 minutes, BIG TIME. 

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The song goes, “Mama said there’d be days like this,” and it is true.

Hearkening Back

Instead of wallowing in the sense of failure and the mess; to get back on track, I am harkening back to some of the best (and at times most frustrating) advice my mom gave me.

I could be rich off of the proceeds of the amount of times I heard this phrase growing up.  But I would be a millionaire for the amount of times I have said it to myself.  It is stuck in there for good!

The simple advice – DON’T waste a trip!

What Does this Advice Mean?

Well, the meaning of this admonition is obvious enough for a child to understand.

When you go upstairs, take that load of clean laundry with you. When you are headed to the bathroom, take some fresh hand towels with you. Heading to the garage? Take that overfilled garbage bag with you. Leaving the car? Take your shoes with you. Please, for goodness sakes, take your shoes with you!! Oh, wait…I got a little carried away.

The Effects of Obedience

By simply following this simple advice from my mom, I can notice a difference in my home at the end of the day. I can also note a change in my disposition.

There are simply no random things laying around on the floor when I don’t waste a trip throughout the day. Items find their way to their “homes.” Clutter is less overwhelming. The counters are cleaner, too.

My outlook on my home improves, too. Not just the fact that it seems easier to clean without all the clutter, but also I feel accomplished. I feel smart when I follow my mom’s best advice.

Walking in Obedience

Just as I was when I was a kid, sometimes I just don’t want to listen to the voice that tells me to pick up something and take it with me as I go.  I would rather leave the clutter-inducing items where they lay and get frustrated with myself later for how much I have to clean.

Well, I am changing my mind and determining:

Today, I will not waste a trip.  I will pick up an item, or a basket of items each time I leave a room, walk upstairs, walk downstairs, head to the trashcan, etc.  And when I get where I am going with those items, I will put them in their proper place.  I WILL!