i have issues.

over mother's day my brother in law said to me 

"so you have this baby, and she's here, but your house doesn't look like the baby took over"

oh how happy this comment made me. 

i strive to keep my house in an adult manner as long as the good lord lets me.

i gently replied. "it's because i have issues."

i like things tidy.

i like things clean.

& above all, i like things organized.

every item should have a home. when the item isn't being used, it should be in it's designated home.

(then you know where to find it and this alleviates things being lost)

now don't get me wrong though- we don't live in a mansion with ample storage units and closets: 

we have a pack in play in our dining room, a stroller tucked in a notch in our living room, one large plastic item at a time in our family room, but all other items have a home. 

mainly a basket, but a designated area.

so, i'm a little bit OCD when it comes to my house being organized.

most of my life i remember liking this neatness.

 as a child i had these same "issues"   

i had a large dog figurine collection (i wanted a dog for as long as i can remember so i collected little dog figures i would have displayed... issues?! maybe) and if someone moved one in the slightest bit i would know and quickly move it back. 

my friends noticed my obsession with my room being immaculate at all times 

and they would actually tease me by pulling out my desk drawers 

just to see how long i could stand it being open.

(i know, mean right? ha! i managed...)

i went awry in college. (don't we all?)

my freshman year room mate and i would just have a gross room. it got to the point where during exams we would throw our garbage in the corner where the garbage can was and just laugh when it bounced out because it was full. we didn't like to clean and i just fell off the band wagon all through college. i had my own room my last 3 years and i didn't have to answer to anyone so i can't say it was the cleanliest.

then i think it was my tiny quarters in nyc (and a certain roommate...) that brought me back.

it made me appreciate the art of tidy. and the art of vacuuming (which i am starting to like again). and the art of wiping down surfaces. (thanks janine!) when one lives in an apartment with 3 gals and one's bedroom is 7x10 (yes, i am not joking) it becomes imperative that this little abode stays clean and organized in order to a) function b) not murder roommates and c) function.

this little tidy-ism has stuck with me since then.

although this obsession can be my own worst nightmare, i am also happy i like all things to have a "home" and spot, a nook, a crevice.

when things are in their home i am productive.

when things are out of their home i can be in somewhat of disarray.

when i told my BIL "i have issues" it's the issues with my house looking like a toy box exploded that is my greatest of issues. i have certainly chilled out about a lot of other items since stella has entered the picture. the toy box explosion issue comes from a long line of hatred towards large plastic things and better yet large plastic noise making things. i mean, if it were up to me i get rid of the large (not plastic) noise box, ahem, the TV (not to be confused with the BBB). although i would miss SMASH, SNL and maybe THE OFFICE and maybe even nfl network (maybe). but life would go on and i would probably proceed to watch them on my computer like in NYC when the only TV i owned was $1 from a garage sale, takes-up-no-space, Blk/Wht, can pick up 2.5 channels kind of TV.

i didn't grow up with these regular toys and for that i am grateful. i truly believe that non-toys are the best toys and encourage imagination which to me is the best toy of all, that which fosters creativity. 

i hope we can instill this in stella and her future seedling(s).

some of the toys from my child hood:

1. yogurt cups 

2. paper dolls from magazine's on cardboard (duh you got to pick the one's you liked)

3. pots and pans and other kitchen accoutrement

4. large boxes from new appliances

5. toilet paper rolls

6. old grocery boxes to play store

7. play people - but apparently now they are a choking risk.

and of course

lots of art supplies... painting, drawing, chalk

i'm sure we had a few of those awful noise makers, but none of those stick in my mind now. 

here i am close to 30 and remembering my yogurt cup towers.

so i am going to stay strong as long as i can in saying NO to large plastic noise making things. the rule here in the harrinniti household is "you buy it - you keep it." so Mister BIL, when you have issues such as these there's no giving in to LPT that may not have "home" in your home.

besides, stella always reaches for my water bottle, cell phone, food, sunglasses... anything that she can get her paws (and her mouth) on & knows i don't want her to tinker with...