Here are some things I noticed in the last day or so, which I should have picked up on a long time ago.

• My family, me included, needs a crash course in Putting Stuff Away. This morning I got up and made my usual beeline for the coffee, and noticed the popcorn and popper still sitting out on the counter. Last night I went to bed early while Bob and Emma made popcorn for a bedtime snack, and left the stuff out on the counter. I didn’t say anything because I’m guilty of leaving stuff out too, but it’s something we need to work on.

• Emma is an artsy kid. She draws a lot. Most of her work is good, which I think I’d conclude even I wasn’t her mother. But her art ends up all over the house. This morning I worked through several piles of paper, and every pile had at least one drawing. Clearly, I need to designate a spot where she can leave her finished products. I also found two recycled art projects she did at camp, and contemplated tossing them, then decided the irony of tossing recycled art was going to make my head explode. So I hung them over my desk.
  

  Fish made from plastic bottles.

  Right now I’m not ready to think about the artwork we’ve accumulated over the years. I need more time, not for sentimental reasons but because of the sheer amount of stuff she’s created.

  

  I can’t let go of the hip-hop alien.

• I volunteer on Friday afternoons with a couple library classes, including Emma’s. The main perk is that I can check out books as many books as I want. The kids are allowed one book at a time, so if Emma finds additional items, I check them out for her. Several weeks ago, we checked out a couple American Girl magazines, which I had trouble locating. I finally found them today and returned them, feeling more than a little sheepish that they were so overdue. So I need to designate a spot for our library books, both school library and local library. Emma now has her own card, which was a proud moment for her two years ago.
  

  From excitement to a low level of book-created chaos.

  But it makes it harder to keep track of what we borrowed. I usually log into my account online to see what I borrowed, and I had to set up an online account so I can see what’s on her card. It’s not that big of a deal but it’s not exactly simple either. It would be easier for us to just keep everything in one spot where I can see it. So that’s in the works.

• Today I also realized I have to accept that the mess will get worse, probably way worse, before it gets better. Corralling everything in one spot where we can sort and put away makes the most sense. Unfortunately, the best space for the crap sorting is the front room, which is the first thing people see when they walk into the house. I feel more than a little embarrassed and want to explain the mess. I’m tempted to make a banner so I don’t have to say anything, or I can borrow Emma’s strategy of sticking a post-it to my forehead. I’m at a loss for what my slogan would be though. In the meantime, I donated a lot of stuff yesterday morning, including a quilt I really didn’t want to give away. But it was a queen size and we traded up to a king last year, and it seemed silly to keep it.

The box Emma put together the other day needed to be taped, and I couldn’t find the packing tape. She did choose a few things I hadn’t seen her touch in years, so I moved those into another box. I decided to hold on to the rest for now.

Tomorrow we’re bringing lots of paper to a shredding event in a neighboring town. It’s a little sad how excited I am.