🧹06. The Common Structure of a Cluttered Home | The Young Lady

─ Make the desk a “no-stay zone” ─

Morning in the living room.
Even though today was the day May was coming over to visit,
the young lady was frozen in front of her desk.

“Why... I was supposed to have tidied this up yesterday.”

On the desk were a book she was in the middle of reading, receipts, flyers, a hair tie, and finished dishes.

It was a magnificent chaos.

“Is it my personality...?
Am I just that sloppy...?”

At that moment, the twin maids appeared soundlessly from the next room.

“No, it’s just that a structure that prevents tidying has been created!” they said efficiently.

“It is cluttered because it is meant to be cluttered,” added Sillet.

The young lady blinked.

“A structure... is it?”

Tekipaki picked up the hair tie.

“Does this little one have a ‘place to return to’?”

Silence.

“...I suppose it might not.”

“That is it.”

Tekipaki tapped the desk lightly.
“Homes where the top of the desk is cluttered have one thing in common.”

Sillet said briefly.
“The ‘temporary spot’ is the final destination.”

The young lady was startled.
The desk was supposed to be a place for eating or working.
But now, it had become the terminal station for items passing through.

Sillet declared.
“The desk is a no-stay zone.”

“...A no-stay zone?”

“The only things allowed on the desk are ‘things you are using right now’.”

Tekipaki continued.
“For everything else, we will create a place that can be reached within five steps.”

“Five steps...”

The twins began to move.

・The book she was reading went to the left end of the bookshelf
・The receipts went into the receipt storage bag
・The hair tie went into a small dish
・The flyers were bundled into a paper bag
・The keys went on top of the shoe cabinet in the entryway

It doesn't have to be perfect. Rough is fine.
Just decide on a place to return to.

Ten minutes later.
Only a book and a pen remained on the desk.

“My. I feel like my field of vision has suddenly opened up.”

Tekipaki smiled.
“When the space clears up, your mind feels refreshed too, doesn't it? Next time, all you have to do is return things to the same place.”

Sillet continued quietly.
“Tidying is not about willpower. It is only about designing a place to return to.”

The young lady stroked the desk.

“...So it wasn't my fault.”

“If you blame your personality, you will never be able to fix the design.”

The twins said in unison.

“A home runs on its mechanisms.”

◆

In the afternoon, the door opened with the sound of a chime.

“Yahoo, I’ve come to visit.
Wait, huh? Isn't it kind of clean today?”

May’s eyes went wide.

“Oh, well, Tekipaki and Sillet...”

“Eh, that’s nice. I want them to come to my place too~.
Oh, I was the one who asked for them.”

As if they had heard that voice, there was a light knock.

“May-san, how about this weekend?”

“Really? Yay♪
I feel like I’ve suddenly got some motivation.
Maybe I’ll at least clean up the entryway.”

The twins exchanged a quiet look.


🔜Next time, May’s house

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