Are you drawn to posts about organizing and cleaning tips like moths to a flame? I am. And, never fail, I come away from reading them thinking, “Well if I could do that, I wouldn’t need to read posts about organizing!” I never find mind-blowing innovation. The basic premise behind every post is to put stuff away right after you use it. Here is the problem: the women who write those posts are organized people who naturally put stuff away. I am not. They are under the impression that ideas about how to organize elude the unorganized. And while I am sure those people are out there, I am certainly not one of them. I know how to organize, but I do not put stuff back in its neat, new organized way. I have already thought of and failed to implement pretty much every organizational strategy I get baited into reading about. We have empty hooks, empty plastic tubs, and empty baskets galore! And if they are not empty, they are filled with granola bar wrappers, Burger King toys, five shoes that do not create even one matching pair, a sock, a baseball, a Nerf dart, a crumpled art project, and a half-finished overdue math assignment. We have the ‘a place for everything’ portion taken care of, but we struggle with the ‘everything in its place’ part.
I admit it has taken me considerably too long to realize that creating new ways to organize is not going to solve the epic mess cycle in our home. It has been a long process that continues to evolve, but I am starting to figure out how to stop trying to do things the 'organized people' way and do them MY way. A great example of my new insight happened the other day when my husband showed me a cool boot rack made of horseshoes and suggested we purchase it because he is tired of tripping over the kids' boots every night when he gets home. I sarcastically replied, “Sure! I bet it would look real nice with a pile of boots in front of it!” He didn't think it was as funny as I did. Another thing that helped me realize I am not cut out for taking advice happened last year when a number of my friends were raving about www.flylady.net. I figured I would give it a try, even though I was pretty sure most of them were naturally more organized than myself. I will admit that I started out with a less-than-positive attitude about the likelihood of success. I was pretty much acting like a whiny, excuse-making brat because I don’t like getting dressed and wearing shoes in my house while I clean. However, I honestly do believe having seven kids and a larger-than-average house are legitimate obstacles to the fly lady’s plan. Despite all that, I started the first step, which consists of just shining the sink every day. I did it for a few days and then forgot for a couple and then did it for a few more days. Then about two weeks later, I suddenly thought to myself, “Oh yeah, I was doing that sink shining thing! Oh well, I guess I am just not fly lady material.” I did the same thing when I started planking to get my tummy back in shape after seven pregnancies. So until my kids are all old enough to not starve when left to their own devices, I will stick with feeding them as my only every single day chore. My plans for organizing can be amazing plans, but the execution rarely works. Even though this is a hallmark of my rare personality type, I am certain I am not the only one struggling with this. Why do you think there are a bazillion ‘how to’ posts about organizing out there? Over the next couple weeks, I am going to post my organizing philosophies. I realize I am doing what I just got done complaining about, but I promise it will not be like anything you have seen before. I think making beds is a stupid waste of time and cleaning is done best while looking like a slob. If you agree, check back (or sign up for my monthly newsletter via the pop-up) if you are also frustrated with the same old organizing advice. Love this? Try this:
24 Comments
I'm the same way (minus the house, husband, and kids). I'll organize and clean everything in my room and my kitchen and then as soon as I go to use any of the items I've just tidied up, the mess immediately returns (and stays until the next time I try to get things together).
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Crystal
4/19/2015 12:47:58 pm
You should check out your personality type at www.16personalities.com Maybe it is the same as mine!
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4/10/2015 08:34:05 am
That is so funny, I just saw that horse shoe boot rack on Pinterest the other day! We just downsized and I was disorganized in the larger house, which we haven't sold yet because it is still full of our crap, and although I am trying with the new house, right now if I showed you a picture, there is laundry all over the floor! Well, I have to comment on my fav blogs first of course!
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Crystal
4/10/2015 10:21:55 am
I think you guys will truly enjoy my future posts. I would love for you to subscribe to my monthly newsletter or follow me on bloglovin' if you haven't yet.
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4/13/2015 12:18:01 pm
I think we all struggle with organization issues at some point. Time makes it difficult to always stay organized and lets not forget space.
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Crystal
4/17/2015 03:48:08 am
Lots of space makes it worse in my experience. I did much better when we crammed three kids into 800 sq. feet than I do with 7 in our big house we have now.
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4/14/2015 10:51:04 pm
In my opinion mess=creativity.. so I choose to be messy :D
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4/15/2015 08:07:17 am
My sink is not shiny. I have found I can only organize one area at a time. The best thing I ever did was make a habit of getting rid of stuff, but I don't always keep that up, either!
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Sabrina
4/17/2015 01:59:07 pm
I am a natural organizer that can put things back every time when they have a place (except in my office), but no one else in my house does. So, that 'sage advice' from the organized folks only works if you live alone or prioritize cleaning up after everyone all the live-long-day-and-night over sleeping and reading and hobbies, which I am not. So I am an uptight person trapped in a mess because I just refuse to devote my life to it. It makes me nuts, but I don't know what else to do.
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Sabrina
4/17/2015 02:04:02 pm
On 2nd thought, there is one other huge thing holding me back. I'm a perfectionist and if I don't have time to do something 'right' I won't even start. When you have little kids there is rarely a span of time that allows you to do anything 'right', so at my house nothing gets done.
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4/19/2015 11:08:00 am
Hilarious! I too once checked out the Fly Lady on the recommendation of others. I was intrigued by the "shine your sink" step 1, thought about it for a few days, and thought, "Nah. Totally not sustainable."
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Crystal
4/19/2015 12:42:47 pm
With a big house full of kids, I have a lot more rooms and stuff than those lists ever account for. Smelly stuff always gets the attention first not matter what some checklist says is up next!
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Well, I kind of write a bit about organizing but my new series is about getting real. I will never be the bowl of lemons or the purple winged you don't have to be perfect, but yes you do lady. I am just a busy as hell mom trying to keep my head above water.
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4/22/2015 07:44:52 am
I hear you! I have seven kids full-time, too. Eight during the summer. I don't think most of those articles are realistic even for a small family. But, for a family 3 times larger than most, a different approach is usually needed. We have to clean more just to be as dirty as the average family because there are so many of us! I'm sure you can relate. I think our biggest organizing issue is we just have too much stuff. I am an OCD minimalist with a spouse and family of packrats. Truly, God is giggling as he teaches me patience! ;o)
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2/5/2016 01:44:02 am
I am totally with you. I see those posts and think "sure, that would be nice" ... but I always find in "organizing" I make a bigger mess with the items I am setting aside to "de-clutter". Because then where the he** do they go?! I usually say "screw it" and throw them in the same corner they were already in. ;)
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2/7/2016 10:36:47 pm
Ha! I agree with you. I use to be a very organized person ..well OCD until I married my current husband. I even clip and save all those organizational tips out and place them in a big messy pile on my desk .. I mean floor by my desk. I just gave up on being organized , neat and tidy.
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AuthorI am the mother of seven children ranging from teens to a toddler, living out in the middle of nowhere, USA. I aim to hone the craft of giving advice without pretending to have this whole mom thing figured out. I am Christian, but not the really nice kind that is good at it. I am also conservative, but I promise not to be in your face with political agendas very often. I like to infuse humor into my writing, so don't freak out if you are offended or appalled by what you read here. There is a very fine line between serious advice and sarcastic hyperbole. Advertising
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