The Missing Redbox

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The kids were asleep. The house was quiet. My husband and I were all set to have a fun date at home. I was looking  forward to relaxing on the couch with a bowl of popcorn while watching a romantic comedy. The only problem was we couldn't find the movie. Anywhere.

After scouring the house, the mini-van, the kids' rooms (they make off with the strangest things sometimes), the garage, and the house again, the Redbox finally turned up. All that time, all that searching, and it was directly next to the entertainment center, on the floor under a throw pillow.

The messier our homes are, the harder it is to find something. In a more pristine environment, out-of-place items are much easier to locate, mainly because they're--well, out-of-place. We waste time searching here and there, moving clutter around to discover where our hidden item has chosen to make its new home.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out some systems to help me stay on top of it better, or at the very least, to not become so buried. It is difficult to housekeep for five other people while also mothering those other people. I can't pick up the soldiers spread out at Fort Living Room while also acting as commanding officer--stopping duels and redirecting unauthorized exercises; mess haul cook; and chaplain.

We need mercy. A helper provides that mercy. There is power in two.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

My husband and I worked together this weekend. Together, one could oversee the troops while the other could focus fully on clearing the mine field. Together, progress was made.

If your husband is unwilling or unable to help, perhaps you could find a friend to swap kids with. One week, she takes your kids (on top of hers) for two hours while you clean like mad. The next week, you take hers while she gets some time to do what she'd like. I have tried this before on occasion, as well, and it is also helpful.

What strategies do you employ to get caught up and stay caught up?