Reading this article about children's clutter reminded me of all the organizing I did when we lived in the Bay Area, when my kids were small. Seems like I was constantly picking up their treasures. We had a large tupperware container filled with my son's hot wheel cars and accessories. Along the window sill were canning jars filled with game pieces: checkers in one, dominoes in another, magnetic letters in two others. It made for a bright and "different" window display. We hung dolls and teddy bears on my daughters' walls.

But now they are older. My daughter keeps her own room fairly clean most of the time. My son's room frustrates me. My husband and I have gone through it and cleaned and organized for him twice already this year. Why? He will not do it himself. This surprises me because he's got a talent for housecleaning and reorganization.... but only IF he decides on his own to do something. For some reason, he gets on wild cleaning frenzies mainly in our living room these days. He loves to rearrange the furnishings. He could be an interior decorator. When he was younger he used to rearrange the living room furniture every night until I finally had to beg him to leave things alone so I could enjoy one of the arrangements he'd done.

But the bedroom - again, it looms before us as a pile of junk took over one side of the room and the other side is just plain messy. I ask him to do simple tasks... like just picking up all the clothes one day or just taking all cups out of the room another, but if he doesn't think of it himself, he resents doing anything.

I have a goal this year of redecorating both my kids' rooms. I want them to have fresh paint, new rugs, and new bedding... at the very least. I know my daughter will insist on a lot of matching accessories. We've already discussed this. I look forward to the warmer weather so I can get my son's room emptied and repainted. I will be very careful about what I allow to go back in there.
  ¶ 12:44 AM