Superpower

I am not, by nature, an organized person. It's been this way since I can remember it. As a child my mom would occasionally come into my room, sweep everything to the center and tell me that I had 2 hours to get it cleaned up before she came in with a snow shovel and a trash bag.

I still occasionally use this method in my own home today. In my bedroom.

Yet I try. I long to be organized, to know where everything is, for everything in our home to have a place, be it on a shelf in our playroom or at Goodwill. I don't care. I just don't want it on on the living room floor where I inevitably step on it in the dark of night.

So, I have been working on it. I have enlisted the help of super-organized friends, bloggers, and books. I have implemented systems of baskets, folders, and checklists. I am getting there.

However disorganized I may appear, though, I have a secret weapon. A tool even better than organization. I have a superpower.

I am able to give the location of miscellaneous items to children and husband in dire need during the most stressful of situations.

Child A asks where the striped pink sock is and I am able to answer "Under the far left cushion on the blue couch."

Child B asks if anyone has seen his red dragon and I quickly quip, "Behind my headboard.Right side. Under the pair of dark blue shorts also behind the headboard."

Child C laments that her piano music has forever disappeared. Mama to the rescue! "No, daughter, your piano music is under the stove."

Husband cannot find missing flip flop (he wears them year round, f.y.i.). No problemo! "In laundry room near the toolbox Lift up the yellow tablecloth. It's there"

Child D does not seem to care if things are missing. He happily uses any items as toys which is why I know to look for the mixers in his bed where he had been using them as a microphone.

My family is amazed, and frankly so am I. I can't seem to remember what day of the week it is but I know the general position of *most missing things.

Dear reader, you must be wondering, how can this woman of so little import have such a magnificent gift?

I know where the pink striped sock is because when I was walking through the living room I saw Child D playing tug-of-war with the puppy with a striped pink sock. Child D took sock and hid it under couch cushion. Boom. Instant recall.

I know where the red dragon is because as I came out of my bathroom Child B used dark blue shorts to catapult red dragon against my bedroom wall where it fell to its current location. Dark blue shorts were thrown as well to throw me off track. Child B quickly ran from room hoping I had no idea what had just happened. Boom. Instant recall.

I know where the piano music is because as Child C came in from lessons with her music half out of her bag she tripped and fell over husband's flip flop and piano music slid across floor to it's locale under the stove. Boom. Instant recall.

I know where the flip flop is because Child D was,again, playing tug-of-war with the puppy, this time with said flip flop. As I made my millionth trip to the laundry room Child D and puppy followed me. Child D was distracted by all of the shiny things peering out of the open tool box and then set flip flop down next to tool box. As I bent down, with laundry basket tucked under one arm, to pick up Child D with free hand a yellow tablecloth fell onto the tool box and flip flop. Boom. Instant recall.

This all happens Matrix-style in my head. So cool.

Who says you have to be organized?


*As long as the items don't belong to me.