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Magical Mornings – 52 pick-up – Clutter Control Can Be Fun!

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Everyone I know has had the 52- pick-up card prank pulled on him or her at some point in his or her lives.
It usually occurs when we are young and gullible.   The prankster asks us: Hey, Do you want to play 52- pick -up and we happily respond yes, because what child does not like to play games.

Then of course the cards are tossed in the air and lay in a scattered mess at our feet.  The prankster then sneers or giggles: Well pick-em up.  At this point we would either cry or curse depending on our upbringing.

As a work at home mom my mornings are pretty full.  I try to be as organized as I can but with a family nothing is really totally organized.  You can make all kinds of incredible promises to yourself that somehow just don’t seem to pan out even with the best intentions. For example:

1. Waking up to a spotless kitchen

2. Toys all put away

3. Desk cleared and tidy

4. Trash cans emptied

5. Laundry folded and put away

Some days some of these things may happen and sometimes on a really great day they all happen.  But in reality things tend to get a tiny bit out of control every day.  And when that happens the clutter monster raises its ugly head and surrounds us faster than we can say Peanut Butter Pie.

And so every morning with a twist of bitter humor in my head I do a 52-pickup. I pick up and put away 52 items that need to go back to their designated home.  This is simple because most mornings there is a scatter of clutter in every nook of the house.   And although 52 might be a slim number it keeps the monster’s head at about sea level and that is just enough to keep me sane.

 

The trick is to do it before my boys are awake.  Because once those rascals are up the clutter just multiplies on top of the previous day’s clutter and then I just have a big fat mess.

Simple Daily Challenge: Try the 52-pickup. It should not take more than five minutes and it really makes a difference.

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7 Comments

  1. Great idea about the 52 pick up. Might have to try that myself this week.. Still cleaning getting ready for family to descend on us for the weekend.

  2. So true. All those morning lists start out with the best of intentions . . . why not just have a 52 pick up game with whoever is at home each morning: Hubby, kids, myself! It only takes a few minutes, and most of the “other” jobs would get done as well. For instance, making your bed equals 1 pick up, then pick up items in your bedroom. Bedroom DONE! Empty wastebasket in bathroom equals 1 pick up, then a quick “pick up” with Windex and a paper towel. “Pick up” the toilet brush and do a quick swish. Bathroom DONE!
    The little kiddos can pick up a Swiffer Duster and dust 52 items, shelves, window sills, etc.
    In my messy family, we should do a 52 pick up after supper, too.

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