It's Enough to Make You Crazy

I'm having trouble keeping track of my stuff.

I discovered over the weekend that some of my belongings or items that belong to my kids are inevitably left behind at the various homes we visit.

I realized this after making the dough for chocolate-chip cookies and coming up empty on my search for a baking sheet.

I obviously HAVE one. Just not at my house.

Thinking back, I remembered using it as a heatblocker during the holidays when I took a dish from the oven to my sister's home. So, Michelle...I need that back.

But, it doesn't stop there.

Griffin had a playdate at a friend's house recently, and we realized that he left his Ipod Shuffle behind. So, we've made the call to go pick it up.

Greg told me last night that he couldn't find our oldest son's new favorite school sweatshirt. We have it narrowed down to a friend's house or Mommy left it behind on the bleachers at soccer practice.

You'd think all of these forgetful moments would result in less clutter at my home. After all, less stuff means more space. Except, that space is now occupied by "other" stuff that guests to my home have left behind.

I have my Mom's curling iron, a bag of stuff that belongs to my sister, (trade ya for my baking sheet!), and my niece's hair barrettes that I threaten to use on the boys when they aren't behaving. Ok, not really.

There was also a JCPenney bag that I think belongs to my sister, Kristen, but I gave that to my mom to pass on. One less thing at my home, yet Mom's clutter-scale has now increased by one.

These are the things I think about.