Mess? What mess?

YP's comment on my last post set me thinking. I have been a tidy person since the age of eight. I can remember exactly when I came to the conclusion that chaos was not the way to go when I couldn't close the lid on the desk in my bedroom and suddenly decided that I was going to 'TIDY UP.' So I did. The trouble was, that although I was a convert, those around me were yet to be convinced. My sister made untidiness an art form and probably still does.
Then the children came along. I have vivid memories of coming home from work and having to climb over the mountains of schoolbags, lunch-boxes, PE kits, trumpet cases, discarded shoes, blazers etc in the hall - the detritus of the children's school-day.
Bedrooms were another source of contention. Unlike me, my children were always hoarders, and that included empty boxes, carrier bags (Younger Daughter had a serious collection of 'designer' carrier bags) and of course, the ubiquitous dirty coffee cups, crisp packets and chocolate wrappers. There were times, I confess, when I would wait for the boys to be out in order to do a grand clear-out of their rooms in order to avoid the protests about how that dirty plate had been under the bed for six weeks and wasn't doing any harm to anyone.
I dreamed of interior designer chic, minimalism - OK I would have settled for just plain tidiness!
When I first met Keith, there were three full black bin bags on his kitchen floor, so I certainly can't claim that I didn't know what I was letting myself in for. In fact, he can be tidy when he wants to be, it's just getting him to want to be that's the problem.
Maybe the new shed, being delivered next week, could be the answer. NASA would fit nicely in there...
No, you're right, I couldn't be so cruel... could I? Maybe I need counselling.