Pretty good person, not a particularly good mom's mom

I'm the type of mom who wipes down her counter without catching the crumbs before they fall on the floor.

I'm the type of mom who won't sweep the floor until the crumbs have shown themselves worth by piling up and organizing a crumb protest.

I'm the type of mom who tidies her kitchen and dining room every day. Does the dishes, cleans off the table, replaces the tablecloth, washes the mats.

But the type of mom who moves the empty movie-sized box of Mike and Ikes from that table to the chair whilst cleaning it. Then puts it back.

I'm the type of mom who can't see a 3-month old bowl of cheetos on the counter. They've become part of the decor. My eyes don't see them.

I'm the type of mom who pushes all the condiments to the back of the counter and washes the front.

Because there is no room left in my cabinets for them. Or for the medicines. Or for the shot glasses.

I'm the type of mom who will clean those counters impeccably that one time and swear to never leave out the bottle of Advil or the package of juiceboxes again. Then do it the next day.

I'm the type of mom who can find important paperwork on a messy desk piled three-feet high with various crap, but lose it forever the second she puts it "away somewhere safe."

I'm the type of mom who cleans every single time with the hope that this is the last time. Then tries to make it the last time for months and months until she has no choice but to admit that it looks like she didn't even clean it at all, even though she clearly did. Three months ago.

I'm the type of mom who, in order to actually clean something effectively, has to look at a room and think, "How would Mom (my mom) clean this?


I feel like this is a pretty big mom failing. But I've tried to fix it for years, and the problem just isn't budging.