The Rummager and The Sticker

Is it just my kid or have my actions turned him into a total freak?

My kid is a scavenging rummager.

He rummages around in every drawer, cabinet, and closet in the house and takes all the "neat cool" things he believes must be his. He knows virtually where everything is we have been missing for the last 6 years. Just bring it up in a random conversation. For example, "I wish I knew where that 6 foot long cable cord with the orange tape on it that was in the game room upstairs before we moved is." Without even moving his head, while watching TV or reading or playing on the computer, he says,"Oh, it's in the bottom shelf left side of the fireplace, 3rd cabinet."

"Does anyone know where the thingymabob that goes with that doohickey is?"
"It's in the upstairs armoire in the drawer next to the Trivial Pursuit game."

But I had to start "THE RULE" in my house when he was about 4 and could reach the handles to any cabinet or drawer: the IF IT'S NOT YOUR'S- DON'T TOUCH IT rule. The rummaging was becoming a hobby of his. If he had a little time on his hands, every drawer and cabinet and closet was left open with all the "insides " hanging out. He was taking every unclaimed item found and adding it to his arsenal of worthless finds he couldn't live without. But he throws caution to the wind and still does it. All. The. Time.

Because he hasn't fine-tuned his rummaging ability, he is a very noisy pilferer. And I can tell when he has found a treasure because the rustling suddenly stops and sometimes, if it is a trinket that for years has been misplaced, I hear an audible gasp. If the dig has unearthed a great secret treasure that he knows he should not possess, I hear nothing following the gasp. If it's something deemed "ok with mom" he will shout out, "You will NEVER guess what I just found!"

And he is right., I can never guess. It's my fault. I take total blame. I used to throw away everything. If it was out and I had no idea what it was, into the trash it went without any hesitation. Then 4 days later, someone would say, "Have you seen that black piece of plastic that I need for my____ that is irreplacable?" Or, "I laid the component needed for the ____ that costs $674 to replace on the counter and now I can't find it." I used to confess to the trashing of said valuable unrecognizable parts, but soon learned by saying nothing and shrugging my shoulders no one could pin it on me, which cut down tremendously on the guilt they made me feel.


It's a sickness I have that makes me shove that small priceless piece of 'whatever' into the drawer of the entry piece as I answer the door so people won't think we are as trashy as we really apparently are. As we speak, I have a hammer and a level in the pot holder drawer right beside my stove. For no reason. Because I am a "sticker".

So now, if I don't know without a doubt it's trash, I just stick it somewhere. In a drawer or cabinet or whatever is closet to said object when I am cleaning. Budget has prevented me from getting the full-time maid, butler and chef I want, so I have to do it all. And I apparently suck at organization. So the next best thing for me is "sticking".

I want to be organized. I know I should be organized. I know I could be organized. But it so much faster just to stick it away with no rhyme or reason to why I am sticking it there. And it's all about convenience for me. Until I need to find it again.

I just pray Cooper never gets amnesia or I am screwed. I will never find my tape measure.