Messy Monday -> Makeover Monday: I Crave Clean but I Live In Chaos

I love a clean space. Like, walking into a freshly scrubbed kitchen feels as good as a spa day. (Okay, maybe not that good, but close.)

Here’s the problem: I’ve read all the blogs. Every single one. The “how to keep your house clean with kids” blogs, the “declutter like a minimalist” blogs, even the “cleaning is self-care” blogs. And yet—my house? Still looks like six kids live here.

The shift happens fast. At first I’m all, “Look at me, I’m an organized queen!” Then the mess creeps in, and suddenly I’m thinking, “Why should I even try? Nobody else is trying.” That little rebellious voice is dangerous, because the reality is—I’ll end up cleaning it anyway.

I put in hours (HOURS) a week cleaning. My four school-age kids get 30 minutes of chores each after school, and honestly? It doesn’t even touch the surface. Especially when “chores” sometimes look like cramming everything into the nearest closet. You know what that means—my carefully organized closets? Now total chaos again.

And don’t even get me started on my bedroom. It’s supposed to be my sanctuary, my escape from the madness. Instead, it’s the official dumping ground for Amazon boxes when we need to do a “fake clean” before company comes over. So much for sacred space.

Oh, and storage? Yeah, we have plenty. What we don’t have is less stuff. I’ve read the decluttering books, done the Marie Kondo thing (spoiler: kids don’t care if it sparks joy), and I’ve accepted that 75% of the junk in this house isn’t even mine. Which means I can get rid of my knickknacks all day long, and we’d still be buried under toys, clothes, and mystery cords nobody claims.

So where does that leave me? Somewhere between “I crave clean” and “I live in chaos.” Most days, I try to focus on one corner—just one little space that feels peaceful. And sometimes, that’s enough.

And if not? Well… at least the closets have doors.