A Mile in My Shoes

Craving Order

I am organizationally challenged.

Keeping an orderly home has proved to be impossible as challenging as Chemistry was in High School.

I have books upon books on the subject. Multiple web-sites book-marked. (Don't tell me about Fly Lady, I've tried that, it doesn't work for me.)

Recently I have been relying on two resources.  They have proved to be the best help I've had so far on the subject:

1) Clean Hearts, Clean Homes.

I haven't actually gone through the devotions on a daily basis yet.  But everything I've read so far has clicked things in place like they never had before.  I'm sticking with this one!

2) Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson

This is the ultimate Home Keeping reference guide.  The part that make me giddy is that she not only gives a comprehensive "how-to" for everything, she also tells you why and the history of it!!!  She speaks my language!  When I was younger, I was one of those exasperating children that asked "why?" about everything!!!  Knowing why something is done helps me to retain it.  I can make more sense of it.  I have something high-lighted on almost every page of this book.

For accountability's sake, I'm going to share visual proof of my journey here:

 

A Place for Everything...

And Everything in Its Place.

A friend and I finally made our long awaited trip to IKEA yesterday.  It was my first time. 

Among a few (cough, ahem) other things I picked up this little organization box.  I've been reading my favorite book by Julie Morgenstern and she has a few good ideas.  I was going to quote her here, but it seems that I've combined a couple of her ideas into this little project.  Her suggestions revolved around organizing bills.  I have to admit, as a "creative" mind, that this is not one of my strengths one of my weaknesses.

In this house, papers grow into piles as tall as the trees they come from.  And good luck finding the cable bill before its due date.

Enter: IKEA box.

The top three drawers are for the things that we can never find: tape, pens/sharpies, and scissors.  The top long drawer is for bills due during the 1st-15th of the month, and the lower long drawer is for bills due during the 16th-the end of the month.  This way, I can just throw them in a drawer (very appealing to my disorganized creative mind) yet they are very simply organized and out of site.  A win-win situation!

I got the decoration inspiration from Blair at Wisecraft.  It's just some scrap-book papers decoupaged to the fronts of the drawers.  I couldn't decide on which papers to use, so I cut a ton of squares out and Iris helped me choose which ones to use.  She's pretty good with colors!  It still needed something, so I stuck one of my recently acquired plants on top (green planter bought for 99¢ at IKEA.)  I love it!  Ta-daaa, a dreary job made cheery!

And... since I'm all about sharing the love, I'll give my extra papers (already cut to size and enough for a 5 or 9 drawer organizer!) to one of you!  You'll have to go to IKEA and get your own box though.   Just leave a note in the comments that you're interested, and we'll pick a name out of a hat on Friday.

The Organization Game

I am a typical Creative Spirit.  It is very easy for me to "make things pretty" but the daily discipline of keeping things organized eludes me.  I've battled it all my life, and my biggest stresses could be eliminated with a match.  (Eliminated, but not resolved.  I imagine I'd have more stress if I threw all the bills in the Weber than if I actually disciplined myself to organize them. Just a hunch.)

Some people in our society are always looking for the Magic Pill.  The Pill that will make them skinny, the Pill that will make them smart, the Pill that will take away all their pain.  I have never liked Pills.  I do however, find myself always searching for the perfect Book that will hold the perfect Information.  Information that is so Powerful it will transform my life and make me love washing dishes.  I haven't discovered it yet.

Unfortunately, that hasn't kept me from searching.  Along the way I have picked up a brain-full of tips, tricks and ideas.  Some useless, and some helpful.

My latest obsession is telling me that if I just had this Franklin Covey Planner, and read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (I've already read it, years ago.  Maybe the words are more powerful and life-changing the second time?), 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, The 8th Habit, Organizing from the Inside Out, and Time Management from the Inside Out I would be able to Get My Act Together.

I thought that before I spend a gazillion dollars on something that has a poor track record for me, I might peruse Mr. Covey's Article Library.  I found some great little tid-bits there!  If you scroll down, there is an entire section on Home & Family.  I especially liked the article on Tantrums.  I also like his article on Rekindling a Marriage, and you can have your husband read it because it's written in a style and with a vocabulary that men understand!  He has a very gentle and common sense approach, although brief and general.   I'm guessing he goes into more detail in his books.

I think I'll look for Organizing from the Inside Out at the library, and maybe I'll think about getting myself this planner, just the title thrills me "Daily Organizing System".  It gives me goosebumps! (Julie Morgenstern has a web-site too).  I have gone with the More Times Moms planner for the last 3 or 4 years, but I think I need something a little more comprehensive at this point.   (I've used their calendar since Iris was born, I'll never give that up, I highly recommend it.)

Irregardless, whatever I buy or don't buy-I know I'd be closer to my goals if I got up and turned off the computer.