Cleaning Tarin's Room

Today I tackled Tarin's very unorganized bedroom.  I try to keep in mind that her room is small and with a full size bed that takes up most of the space that it isn't always her fault that she can't keep it very cleaned.  Also one wall is nothing but drawers and small closets, which you would think would be helpful.  Bottom line is clutter makes me crazy...

I couldn't help getting frustrated as I dove head first into one closet and noticed that she has kept a lot of things that are SO unnecessary.  Out came the trash bags and at first I was asking if she needed to keep things but she wanted to keep everything.  I explained she really only needed to keep what was important, not every piece of paper is.  Moving right along I got closets and drawers cleaned out but then I noticed that she was going through the trash bags.  This makes me crazy!!!  Floyd does the same thing...in fear that I am going to throw something away that he/she will one day need in the near future. They won't because I will find it a few months from now, unused, just moved to a new place just waiting for the one day it may be used. My rule is if you haven't missed it in the last few months then you don't need it.  I did let Tarin keep a few things.

 Then the panic attack came when I opened one of the cabinets.  I didn't know what to pull out first, I couldn't breath as I stood trying to decide what to do, my heart is racing and I walked out.  I was done for the evening. Now I knew I wouldn't sleep knowing I left her room unfinished and I couldn't figure out when I would have the time to get it finished so I took a breather which was much needed 15 minutes later I took another deep breath and conquered it. 

Tarin kept getting distracted with different things that had been buried throughout her room.  I finally had to ask her to leave the room.  I felt bad doing it but she wasn't helping in the sense of picking things up or throwing things away.  She did help about the first 30 minutes so I try not to get to upset that she didn't help the whole 2 hours it took me. After all she is only 8 years old.

I now know that I am not the only mother who suffers from the wide range of emotions when it comes to cleaning your child's room.  I also now know how my mother felt when my room was a mess...a path leading to the bed!  I do feel better that Tarin now has a clean and organized room...wonder if she slept as well as I did!

You don't get anything clean without getting something else dirty. ~Cecil Baxter