Organizing Addict

I am taking two online organizing classes right now.  I own probably five how-to-organize books.  I subscribe to numerous organizing blogs.  I’m addicted to the idea of being organized but am not a natural organizer.  Much like I am not a natural accountant.  I’m just not wired that way. 

For me to really clean and organize, I have to have the optimal conditions:

• Headphones on & music loud so my brain can’t get distracted by anything else
• Matt not here (he’s had to work late a lot lately so it’s been conducive to organizing)
• Mason asleep (needless to say, my organizing gets done between 9 pm – 1 am, like most everything)
• Not too sleepy
• Not too hungry

Otherwise, I pick up A. to put it away but see B. which reminds me of C. in the laundry room, where I find D. is out of place and go to get safety pins and trip over A.

But I’m really making progress in these online organizing workshops.  Loving them!  Highly recommend.  They’re through Simplify 101, which has great tips and articles about organizing.  It is mesmerizing to hear Aby, the organizer in charge, talk about organizing (I also listen to the mp3’s that come with the class when I’m cleaning for extra motivation).  You can tell she is just wired that way.  There have been so many tips that are so duh but I never in a million years would have thought of them.  Like:  Don’t get too big of a storage container for things like pens and pencils because then you’ll just have a million pens and pencils.  Pick how many pens and pencils are your maximum, get rid of the rest, and then get the appropriate container for that amount.

Aha moment, right?  I know!

Or this one:  You can put containers in your REFRIGERATOR.  Whaaaat???  It’s true.  Those smallish plastic bins at Target work amazing for corralling Gogurt and string cheese in one spot.  In fact, I have a bin for bread and one for snack food, a la:

I just have one week left in my paper clutter organizing class (this was a tough one, with several businesses plus our personal paperwork to organize) and the Organizing 101 class has a month left.  It’s so exciting.  Will someone please talk with me about organizing?  Everyone I know in real life is tired of hearing about it.

Images via 5thjoy.com, pinterest, simplify 101