This resolution wasn't important to me until a few months ago, when our living room and family room turned into playroom A and playroom B. My once very tidy living spaces are now typically cluttered with plastic cookies, jingly toys and board books.

And pajamas from yesterday.

And the pair of socks I put on Leah at 7am. And the pair I put on her at 8am when I couldn't find the first pair that she took off at 7:05.

And a dirty diaper.

And her jacket from when we ran out to get the mail.

But the clutter isn't all Leah's... I'm just as guilty. After coming in from errands (usually with my arms full of Target finds, Leah+toy backpack, my keys/waterbottle/wallet/phone, I'm lucky if I'm able to carry them all to one location. Usually they just drop off of me as we walk through the house. And then there's the magazine I stopped reading when Leah woke up from her nap, and the internet pod I carry around to check email.

I'd imagine most people wouldn't find our mess that overwhelming - especially moms of older and more numerous children... but honestly, it freaks me out. And when I get freaked out, everything seems much more awful than it really is.

So for the last few months, I've resolved to give myself 2 tidy "resets" a day. Not 5, not 6, not 20. If I allow myself to constantly put things away, I will, and I don't think Leah appreciates me putting her toys away while she's playing with them :) This way, I know that no matter how cluttered things get, I get a reset during Leah's afternoon nap (or while she eats dinner), and after she's gone to bed.

Voila, more joyful mommy.