I have a TERRIBLE problem that I have been trying to hide for years (it has NOTHING to do with Clay Aiken by the way) I spent some of my non-blogging time taking care of it this week, but I know it is not a permanent fix. I am not sure how to fix this problem so maybe some of you can help.
I will start by sharing my FAVORITE part of the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen." You know when they are just pulling up to their new house and the front of their car is COVERED with fast food wrappers? Well just picture that ALL OVER MY VAN. It doesn't matter how hard I try, my car is always a wreck. I can understand when it is right after a road trip and the car is messy, but when you pick up your kids from some one's house, and their kids follow you out to the car, and when you open the door and their kids say "WOW! What happened to your CAR!?!?" That is when you know you have a problem.
It is not just garbage, it is shoes, toys, diapers (CLEAN diapers ONLY, dirty diapers make the car smell to fast....not that I know that from experience or anything...), or mail that I picked up, but never opened or brought in. It does come in handy sometimes. In fact I don't even try to make Nathan put shoes on before we leave the house because there are always shoes in the car (occasionally there are only Kaylee's shoes in the car, but don't worry, Nathan doesn't mind wearing them)
I have tried threatening my kids "bring EVERYTHING in the house or ELSE!" ("else" just doesn't carry the weight it used to) but they still leaving stuff in the car claiming "I didn't know you wanted me to bring in my shoes too" or "but I was going to play with/read that next time I was in the car"
Here are some of the dilemmas that I have to deal with that are associated with this problem. I dutifully drop my kids off to school on time every day. But sometimes when they hop out of the car 2-3 things fall out with them. I try to catch their attention..."Hey!! wait, 'stuff" fell out of the car", but they are running to class (not because they were almost late.....because they LIKE to go to school. So now I am stuck. My van door is open and the whole world can see into the abyss of the van and now the wind is picking up and more stiff is flying out, but I CAN'T get out...I am not dressed properly (OK, I am most likely still in my pj's). So what do I do?? I have tried to get Nathan to learn to unbuckle himself so that he can hop out and pick up our rouge garbage, but to no avail. I usually hope no one is looking (or laughing) and pick it up.
The other major problem comes at church. We are usually there with plenty of time to spare before the meeting starts (at least 30 seconds) and what luck....there is a spot up front! But NO we cant park there, then everyone will see into the van, what a mess it is, and when church is over they will see me put my kids in the car so they will know whose van it is. So don't take that spot, no...lets park back in that corner and run. I have even gone as far as to load all of my kids into the van on the wrong side and make them climb over the seats so that people on the other side can't see in.
For those of you whose cars are always clean...I have NO idea how you do it. Don't you ever have to carry in sleeping kids, and if so do you really go back out and bring in all the stuff after that? I am pretty sure the best solution is to buy a new van, one with NO windows and only one door....on the roof, where nothing will fall out. (I guess I could clean it out more often.....)
15 comments:
Just today Ethan let out a bunch of things when I dropped him off at football practice.
We went on a trip last week and I think I get at least 3 weeks to clean out the car after a trip.
So I need to go on a trip every three weeks and never clean the car. Buying a new minivan might just be easier!
You're so not alone on this one, Brenda. I was seriously just thinking this morning as I climbed into my car that something smells like it died a few weeks ago and really, maybe I should clean out the car...hmmm, maybe tomorrow? I HATE cleaning out the car. I would be embarrassed when we pick up Macy at school every day to have her see our mess, but I've seen Alicia's car so no worries there. For all she knows, that's how all cars are supposed to look...ours is just a little bit worse. I mean, I'm sure that's what my kids think. :-)
Brenda,
I don't even have kids--and my car is always full of stuff and full of trash! I have to clean it out once a month since I'm the temple trip coordinator---and don't want everyone to have to sit in my trash. But, as I seem to live in my car--I just tell people it's my "office" and I seem to be able to get away with it. The funnies thing is that I thought once I had a garage that it would get better. It's actually gotten worse! Unless it's groceries, or really needed immediately, I'll leave stuff I just bought in the car all the time!
Mary P.
I am the same way, I keep making the excuse that I have to walk all the way up to the apartment, so things just sit in there and rot. At least we still have a small car so it can be somewhat contained. If we had a bigger car I know it would become completely out of control.
I'm glad I'm finding out who I do and do not want to catch a ride with! ;-)
Yeah, we know about Andrea's car...flour, anyone? My car is pretty darn messy, but Ken's...spotless. He has a carseat in there, we drive with Abe in there, but yes..he really does go back and get everything and clean. It is amazing.
My car is a mess too! It is covered in little bits of crackers. I gave someone a ride the other day and they told me that the reason they didn't offer to drive was because their car was messy. I made them feel better :) So, I think it's a really common thing.
This really makes me feel better! I will walk through parking lots and casually "glance" in the other cars as I walk by and I SWEAR they are all clean! Where are you all parking.......in the corners??
Hey haven't you noticed that you can't see the floor when you look through the windows "casually"? I thought things would get better as the kids grew up and they do somewhat, but I think a car is a junk nesting site and the junk multiplies when we aren't looking. Or maybe there are junk elves that are especially attracted to cars with kids. Thanks for the laughs.
My friend once asked me how I kept my car so clean. I looked at her like she had lost her mind. Apparently she saw me putting my kids in the car the day after I cleaned it out trying to find a rotten smell.
I invited her to look again, and she felt much better. That is the key. The couple of days a year it IS cleaned out, make sure as many people as possible see it and they will think you always have a clean car.
Hilarious! I could relate to everything you said until about eight months ago. Our car was just like your description and every time I would thoroughly clean it, I swear within a few days it was back to the same way. I wondered if it would ever be clean. Jason's dad would always tease us about it too and finally, Jason and I made a commitment that we were going to have a clean car. We started, literally, taking everything into the house after every car trip and when we would take sleeping children in, Jason would go back out and get what was left in the car. We have really liked this new system and though it is not perfect, it's a heck of a lot better than before.
Yep, being a big city girl my rule from the day I met Darrin became his too...every day when you get home ALL things come in from the car. period. Only what is supposed to be in there, road emerg kits and blankets stay, nothing else! and even after carrying in groceries and a sleeping kids we still go out and do it. Now it is just habit.
Whenever we go to lunch at work, I wont drive because everyone else's cars are so clean. Mine is FULL of trash (its almost to the level of the seats...)
You grew up knowing how to shut the door fast so nothing fell out. We still have that problem. You would think after so many years they could have invented a different way to open vans (like the car that just builds up to the lip on the door). Oh well just move faster and teach the kids to kick back as they exit the van.
Oh my gosh, this has been the BIGGEST problem of mine. Seriously, have you ever seen inside my car? I am always so mortified when I run out to my car to go pick someone up and realize it is a complete disaster (why don't I already know this? It's not like it's ever clean?) Shayla is not kidding, my van is never clean. The only reason it is somewhat decent right now is because I carpool and I don't want Macy to be embarrassed about our van. I am thrilled to learn I am not the only one who has junk fall out of the car when the kids get out. I could go on and on but this is long enough. Obviously I have no advice for you.
Oh Boy do I feel your pain!!! That is why I always park in the very back row at church. At least you have an excuse, you till have a baby. I don't! I think half of Brianne's shoes are in the car. Then when she doesn't wear any, there are none to be found. I give up!.
Post a Comment