It's Time For A Fire Drill

Can you walk through your home in the dark without tripping over clutter and breaking an arm? This is a great concern for my family since I seem to have a light switching problem. If I pass a room or hall with a light on, I switch it off. Is it possible that I was born with this disorder? However it developed, it appears to be driving my family crazy. I don't see what the problem is. We've lived here for six years. People should know their way around by now.

When I do my evening walk-through of the house I turn out all the light (obviously), lock all the doors, adjust the temperature, and make sure we have clear access to all the exits. But, no matter how diligent I try to be, I still get my surprises at night. My kids have a funny way of re-arranging their toys and my furniture when I'm not looking. Inevitably I end up bashing a big toe on a stray skate, cracking my shin on a little red stool (thanks Grandma!), piercing my foot on a pair of Barbie sunglasses, or slipping on a book at the top of the stairs and finding myself at the bottom a bit sooner than I had anticipated.

Sometimes I'm so tired in the evening that I don't have the energy to fight the room-cleaning battle with my kids. The only way I can sleep without fearing for their lives is to clear a path to their door on my way out. I can rest peacefully knowing they won't fall over a Lego tower and break their heads open trying to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

If you're wondering how your family will make it out of the house in a fire you may need to re-think some of your storage issues. The hall isn't the best place for those boxes you haven't opened since you moved in six years ago. You can start going through them now and it won't be as painful as you think. If you've waited six years you won't need or want most of what's in them anyway. If you've maneuvered a box of books to the top of the stairs hoping your husband would notice it and take it down to the basement for you, let me give you some advice. Buy a dolly and move it yourself before someone gets hurt. My husband bought a dolly a couple years ago and it has really helped our marriage. Instead of nagging I can re-arrange the furniture when he's not looking!