Managing clutter, conquering clutter—these seem to be ongoing pastimes for the average family. But, before we can really get a handle on all the clutter of family life, we might first have to figure out what exactly constitutes clutter. After all, one parent’s clutter is another child’s treasures…
I cannot count the times that I have done battle with my kids—or at least had some pretty intense discussions about what is neat and tidy, what is garbage, and what is just dangerous clutter. I have tried the “fire trap” approach and the “someone is going to break a leg trying to walk through this room” approach, but I do not always come out on top of the debates.
I have also tried to convince them of the bad energy and messed up Feng Shui of our abode with all their stuff cluttered about. HOWEVER, my kids can make a pretty good argument that their treasures are not clutter at all. How is it that I get to decide, they ask, what is valuable and lovely and what is messy and clutter? How is it that my “stuff” is strewn carefully about the house and considered décor and their stuff is considered clutter that needs to be tucked away in neat bins and drawers?
I also get the argument that my clutter standards are different from others—“You should see how some of my friends live, Mom, and their parents are perfectly happy with it!” Well, of course, I have to remind them that they do not live at their friends’ house and I just have different clutter standards (as well as different housekeeping standards overall and different ideas about what constitutes a nutritious meal too.) In the end, I do not think we have solved the clutter vs. treasure dilemma but I do take solace in knowing that we are not the only family having the clutter battle.