Keeping It Real

So I was talking to a friend today (by talking I mean texting. Introverts unite!) and she gave me some great inspiration! We both became mothers last year. Her adorable little boy is getting close to the one year mark and Lily's about to be five months old! Anyway, we were talking about cleaning and organizing. She expressed her frustration that she doesn't always feel compelled to get things accomplished and she doesn't have a lot of time with her little running around keeping her busy. She expressed a wish for an organizing list that could be completed during a realistic time frame and said she couldn't find one that suited her needs. 

I looooooove organizing! There's not much that makes me feel more at peace or gives me a greater sense of accomplishment than making my house tidy and useful. I also love all the follow along cleaning and organizing plans on blogs and Instagram. I used to attempt to join along, but inevitably I wouldn't make it the whole year, or I'd go rogue and start organizing whatever I wanted to cause the plan didn't suit me anymore. 

You ready for the funny part? A lot of those organizing plans I'd see were very detailed. Like you'd have to be Martha Stewart with her team of people to get it all done. So I always thought... Oh these stay at home ladies have it made! They have the whole day to clean and organize! Of course they can get it all done. So I was so excited to become a stay at home lady! I thought of all the projects I'd get done and how nice the house would be. I'd finally be able to paint every room and caulk the porch and landscape the front yard and every   afternoon when hubby gets home from work, won't he be surprised by my amazing accomplishments! I'd get it all done while the baby naps. They make excellent baby monitors nowadays. How hard can it be?

And the I had Lily. 

Boy was I optimistic! Don't get me wrong, I am able to clean and organize, but nowhere near the level I thought I would. My little darling is a great baby. But like anyone's story, it isn't perfect. For instance I breastfeed and Lily isn't keen on taking a bottle. So if she eats it's primarily at my breast. She's also entered a phase where she'll wake up if I move her after she nurses to nap during the day. I know everyone has advice and opinions on these things and what do do, etc, but so far I'm making it work. I don't mind her napping on me. It forces me to not be all work/ no rest which I'm bad to do. And I can still get some work done while I'm trapped under her. Point is, I thought I'd have all the time in the world, but at this current juncture I have small bits of time between naps. And that's ok! It's real life! 

So in honor of this realization and my burst of inspiration today, I have decided to post about how this real mamma, with muuuuuch less time than she anticipated, is getting her house clean and organized (relatively speaking). My house isn't "done" yet. My photos won't be the loveliest. Nowhere near as lovely as most of the home style blogs I come across. But it is real. I'll post as I'm able about what I'm getting accomplished (if anything). You're welcome to follow along and organize along with me. I'll be posting pictures here and on Instagram with the hashtag #keepingitrealorganized. Cause that's exactly what I'm planning to do... Keep it real! 

Wish me luck! I'm gonna need it!