a pile of clothes

In most aspects of my life I'm a very tidy person. I've always had impeccable school notes; even in university I had well-placed, tidy doodles neatly taking up every empty space in the margins. My office space is immaculate, everything in its place and it's regularly swiped with the lavender-scented antibacterial wipes I keep in my overhead cabinet, always within arms reach.

So, why is it that I always have a pile of clothes beside my bed?

Growing up, I always had clothes on my bedroom floor, and my parents were forever after me to tidy it up. In university, that same pile followed me to each of my apartments...and the darn thing has followed me into my adult life too! The whole bedroom can be clean, but (much to my husband's chagrin) there, to the right side of the bed, he can almost always count on the ever-present mound of varied fabrics. At least I'm consistent!

Tonight I spent three hours cleaning the house...I did some work on each floor, but the greatest part of tonight's cleaning adventure was spent on the top floor, in my room, on the right side of the bed, hanging everything up...again.

My mum has reminded me that I'm now modeling this behaviour to my daughter...am I really setting her up to have a pile beside her bed for several decades of her life? I sure hope not. Thankfully, so far she has a propensity towards tidying and cleanliness...let's hope she gets my academic and professional tidyness and applies it to her room when the time comes.