Dear Daughter: About being tidy

Dear Daughter quilt block basket

Dear Daughter

It has been a while. I have written a few letters in the meantime, but somehow, they’ve not made it to my blog. These may make it into an appendix one day. Or maybe even an e-book containing the missing blocks.

The good news is that, not only do I have a new block for your Dear Daughter quilt, but I have found a subject for a letter suitable for publishing. The bad news is that it’s about your room. Oh yes. To be honest, I’m not sure of the state of the rest of your room as I’m too busy looking down, for fear of either tripping up or breaking something under foot. As you know, we have nicknamed your bedroom floor as the”Floordrobe”.

It may be that the entire contents of your room is on the floor, so possibly you do have an exceedingly tidy room. Other than your floor, of course. I just don’t know. Every now and then, I do make a laundry grab. I return these clothes, clean and folded, just inside your door. I hope you are finding them. I can’t check, as I have to look down while completing this repatriation manoeurve.

During a recent laundry grab, I made an interesting discovery. A whole colony of little beings had set up a new society under one of your discarded jumpers….ok not really, but would you know?

Dear Daughter quilt block basket side

I think it’s time for a list.

1. Go through your drawers, wardrobe and floordrobe and find anything that you can no longer wear. Pass to me.

2. With all the space in your drawers and wardrobe – notice I am not including your floordrobe in this part – fold up or hang up any clothes left in your floordrobe. If dirty, and only if, then put in the laundry basket. (I will leave a photo of the laundry basket, and map of directions for your use. Please find pinned to your door)

3. Note: previously described folded clothes in clean laundry piles can be put straight in drawers or hung up in wardrobe. This is my gift to you.

4. Books and any other objects should be removed from floordrobe (and under bed). Put away as much as you can. The rest should be put neatly into piles, or provided bin. Please make sure the piles are unlikely to topple over. I’ll then have a better idea of how much extra storage space you need.

5. Your new mantra: If you don’t need it, don’t love it or it’s broken, then pass to me. (Younger siblings are exempt from this rule. You’re stuck with them.)

6. Once done, look around and smile. It’s a good feeling isn’t it?

Dear Daughter quilt blocks

If none of this is inspiring you then, I do have one last suggestion. If you tidy up, you may indeed find a new society of tiny beings living in your room. You could then study them, write an academic paper about their customs and lifestyles, and become a world famous anthropologist and authority on this previously undiscovered species.

Just saying.

As ever

your loving mother.

P.S. I am so glad that I have no need to photograph your room for this letter. Custom dictates that I show the appropriate Dear Daughter quilt block instead. This block is called basket. Storage and basket go together so very well! The poppy fabric is from the leftover fabric, mere scraps as it happens, from the poppy tunic I made you.

finished poppy tunic with Gwinny

(The joy of a dog. They love you, whatever the state of your bedroom.)

6 comments

  1. I’m glad I’m not the only one whose daughter has a floordrobe (great name). I periodically give my daughter similar instructions to those above but I don’t have the will to argue about it all the time. However when she puts her school uniform into the dirty washing bin on Sunday night and expects it to be washed in time for school the next morning I do feel justified in having a rant!

  2. This made me giggle and sympathise at the same time. My 9 year old is so very messy that it drives me to despair. I am going to use floordrobe, it’s a brilliant word and totally true! I can only pray that they decide to take note and pck up their belongings! x

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