Posts Tagged ‘getting organized’
I Had a Genuine Moment of Serenity
Posted on: June 2, 2008
We finally decided to move QPR’s “studio” (Queen Pack Rat, my lovely daughter) into the spare room and I’m moving into her little space in the kitchen nook. This means I no longer have to step over and through Polly Pocket and her tiny little shoes; contraptions and inventions made with tape, yarn, and paper (the latest was a money machine, but it doesn’t seem to work that well); “special” drawings, FOOD, etc. etc.
My new space is much smaller, so I’m trying to be lean and mean with what I bring into it – which is a challenge but empowering. I’m hoping to be much more organized in my new little nook, and having less stuff is the first step.
I decided that one thing I did need – close at hand – was a small notepad where I could write down post ideas for One Bag Nation. Yesterday, inspiration struck! I sat down at my desk, where the notepad lay waiting for me and my brilliance. I felt so organized, efficient, productive – and YES, serene – I could hardly stand it!
And if you can believe it, that big “MOM’S” label actually gave QPR pause . . . haha!
I recently met with Laura Leist, author of Eliminate Chaos. Laura’s office is in her home, and I was dying of curiosity to see how an expert organizer lives and works.
Her home and her office were neat as a pin, but not in a sterile, does-anyone-actually-live-here way. Her desk was tidy, but she had a few piles of paper on it – which she said was making her crazy – so I imagine she keeps it clear most of the time.
All in all it was pretty interesting and made me curious to see the work and home environments of other professional organizers. They spend so much of their time in other people’s spaces but rarely, if ever, reveal theirs. I wonder if they feel pressure to keep everything perfectly perfect . . . then again, keeping it all together comes easily and naturally for them – or so I assume.
The Basement Report: Day Five
Posted on: May 16, 2008
On Monday I posted about the worst organizing project I’m tackling: the disaster we call the basement.
I realized that committing to spending just 15 minutes a day down there was more than I could face, so I decided to aim for five minutes, every day.
How have I done? I’ve worked down there 3 out of the last 5 days, and I’m thrilled. It may be absurd, but the truth is that if I keep at it, even for just 5 minutes at a time, it will eventually get cleared out and cleaned up. And I’ve made more progress over the last five days than over the last five months.
Baby Steps, Baby Steps (as flylady would say) toward order, serenity and peace of mind.
What Works, What Doesn’t
Posted on: May 5, 2008
Most mornings I get up early to exercise. What Works is to set out my exercise clothes the night before. Every article you read about making exercise a habit talks about this, and now I know why – It works!
Getting organized the night before prevents me from waking my husband by crashing around in the closet, and gets me to the gym that much earlier, so I can pump it up for a few extra minutes before my class starts.
Of course my wonderful bag is right where it should be, ready to go. No more rushing around searching for my keys and wallet.
What Doesn’t Work? Turning on the computer or getting otherwise distracted as I’m getting ready to go. I have to stay focused on getting dressed, feeding the cats, getting my water bottle, brushing my teeth and heading out the door – no more, no less!
For me, exercise is essential to achieving serenity and peace of mind, so I keep my eye on the prize.
Before & After: The Linen Closet
Posted on: April 26, 2008
Last Saturday I decided to tackle the dreaded linen closet. Clearing out and reorganizing this cupboard took several hours, and a lot of determination, but I kept going, being sure to take breaks when my brain started to freeze.
I threw away lots of medicine; the oldest expiration date was 2004 – that’s not too bad, right? I found a water-saving faucet valve (in there since the late-90’s I’m sure) that my husband actually installed – very green of us. I discovered that we have many, many lightbulbs and enough flea powder to wipe out all the cat fleas in the city. But – surprise! – there was lots of stuff we actually need.
What a pleasure it is to open the door and be able to see what’s in there!
Now if you’re gushing blood and need a band-aid (or you’re a 6-year-old with a tiny scratch and a dramatic flair), you can find a band-aid. If your itchy hay fever eyes are driving you nuts, you can find eyedrops. If your toothbrush looks like you’ve been using it to clean grout, you can find a new one. If the batteries die in the camera – again – you can replace them
Of course this stuff was in there all along, you just couldn’t see it through the jumble of junk. Who knows what treasures are lurking in other dark corners of the house? I’m looking forward to finding out – in another chapter of my quest for order, serenity, and peace of mind.
Why Does Clutter Make Us Feel Bad?
Posted on: April 22, 2008
On the face of it, the clutter itself is what bothers us.
My mother – who practices Al-Anon style detachment – lives surrounded by piles of what most people would consider trash. She clears a place to eat, sit and read, watch TV, pay her bills, etc. and somehow manages to block out the physical chaos around her.
I find it essential to practice detachment in certain relationships, but I’m not willing to detach from my surroundings.
A lot of my clutter represents indecision, and I often feel that some of my piles and messes are a visual representation of what goes on in my ADD-esque brain (I say “ADD-esque” because I’ve never been diagnosed and I don’t want to trivialize ADD for those who have).
So what does the clutter represent for me? A fear that I’ll turn into my mother? A reminder of how indecisive I am? A reluctance to part with things that make me feel safe? Evidence that I’m a terrible wife, mother, housekeeper?? I honestly don’t know, but I can’t stand the anxiety the clutter provokes, so my quest to conquer it continues.
I probably need psychotherapy, but I’ll just keep blogging instead . . .
Lipstick Toss
Posted on: April 6, 2008
I recently read that dark lipstick is not flattering as you get older. I decided on the spot to make getting rid of my old lipstick my next decluttering project, and I pulled them all out of the cupboard. You can see by the photo that I had a pretty good pile; I have to confess that many of them were at least 10 years old, and many of them were definitely too dark . . . remember the days of ghoulish purples? Had these ever looked good on me??
The writer (Charla Krupp) recommended pink (and specifically mentioned Clinique “Bamboo” as a universally flattering color). There was one shade in my stash that fit the bill for light/pink and I discovered I had no fewer than four tubes of this shade – by four different manufacturers. I bought the first tube when I had a makeover (in 1997!) at a Bobbi Brown counter, so I figured it was still a good color for me. I put two of the pinks (called “Mystery” by Prescriptives and “Twig” by MAC) in my purse, and the other two in the medicine chest (called “Brown” by Bobbi Brown, and I’m too old to be able to read the Neutrogena label) and tossed the rest. In the spirit of my quest for order, I’m committed to using up at least one of these tubes before I buy a new one, but that Clinique “Bamboo” is calling to me . . . . it’s an awfully nice color.
One Bag Nation 
