In reality, my home is the antithesis of this. Five kids and a husband who hates throwing away anything 'that might one day be useful' has meant that my fantasy self has never existed. 'Things' are my nemesis. Things are everywhere...every room has an abundance of them. Hundreds of things without homes that invade every nook, cranny and corner of my four bedroomed home.
Freddy's toys are an ever growing community in search of a space to call their own. They spill from the plastic boxes which once contained them. They encroach upon my living space threatening to take over the whole living room. As I sit and type, Let's Rock Elmo and Interactive Winnie the Pooh are filling the space by my feet. A Buzz Lightyear Light Sabre, a packet of crayons that came free from a restaurant, a potty shaped like a duck and a double decker bus that sings the alphabet mock me from the laminate floor, letting me know this is a battle I simply can't win. My daughters' shoes join in with the clutter. Ella's Uggs here, Kizzy's slippers there. I am drowning in the mess. There is no Feng Shui here. Light and space dare not compete with widely strewn bits and bobs.
There is no oasis of calm for me to retreat to. The garden is well played in...trampoline, swing set, footballs and bikes are the order of the day. Forget relaxing on the patio...that's where the sand and water tables live along with all the shovels, pots, buckets and boats that were once neatly placed inside, but now are making breaks for freedom. My own bedroom is not free of the clutter. It is an overspill for books, DVDs and unclaimed piles of airing. The kids play on my bed and I often find an abandoned Bratz doll lurking under my kingsize duvet.
I tidy up, but in a blink of an eye the mess returns. Everytime we make strides to de-clutter: buying Ikea's finest shelving units or the latest set of Trunki toy boxes, or if we take a few trips to the charity shop...it never seems to touch the surface. But the fact is, decluttering is a losing battle Inside the Wendy House.
To some, our clutter would be something they couldn't live with, but to me it symbolises our family life...full, mad, chaotic, fun and crazy. The ideal minimalist world which I dream of is not conducive with a household full of kids. Kids who have the freedom to simply be with the limitless abandon only children can enjoy. One day when all the children have grown-up, I'm sure my home will lose most of the messes and muddles. But I'm in no hurry for that day. In hindsight my cluttered home really is just perfect!!
