I'm not after the perfection captured in some of my favorite magazines.  Not exactly, because look closely and you can often find at least one giveaway that the room has been arranged specifically for the photo shoot.  Not even the people who live in that room really live in that room.  The photos are still something to behold.


Life happens in our home, and it should.  But after spending an entire afternoon cleaning---when all I really wanted to do was relax with my boys---and finding it all undone the next morning, I was determined to spend as little time as possible maintaining the stuff in our lives and as much time as possible experiencing the best of what life had to offer with the people I love.  Then, I stumbled upon three little words that made a big difference---leave no trace.

They're not magic words I chant to summon a stampede of bounding woodland creatures to clean my kitchen, or to send my vacuum twirling under its own power across the rug.  Neither has happened---yet.  But something magical is happening.  

In truth, it seems silly to give the idea a name.  To apply the principle, you simply see each task of the day through to its end---leaving no trace of it.  

When the bread, butter, butter knife, cheese, and skillet come out for that grilled cheese sandwich, the loaf of bread is returned to its place just as soon as I've taken the slices I need.  The butter and cheese are put away, and the knife is rinsed and loaded all before the first side is browned.  By the time my toddler is enjoying his sandwich, the skillet has already been rinsed and any breadcrumbs have already been wiped from the counter.  If not for the trail of crumbs from the kitchen to the living room, you'd never know I'd just made it!  

Little Man is really pretty good about cleaning up his toys, but he is two.  There are days when a room needs extra attention, but this simple idea has done a lot to save my sanity from total destruction.  More importantly, my little men are too soon to be grown men with their own little men and I will be forever grateful that I spent as much time with them as I was able.