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O is for Organized
Published on: Apr 18, 20114 comments
In theory, I am organized. But the same hypothesis suggests I am a perfectionist. Ergo, I should be organized and perfect. And I am anything but.
I am, however. a control freak. Therefore, I tend to lean towards organization to declare dominion over my surroundings, activities and output.
The Truth Behind My Organization Skills
- As a family, we are early for most everything. But getting out the door is not always pretty.
- My children are trained to organize themselves. They are responsible for getting their homework done, packing their lunches and getting their handouts returned.
- I alphabetize my spice rack and organize my books by topic. Both just save time.
- I have everything written down in a calendar. And I never throw my calendars away. I have 20 years worth stacked in chronological order. Ask me when our garage door was replaced or when the neighbor got a new dog and I can find the date.
- All my photos are filed and scrapbooked and I am completely up to date. I’m not bragging–I just have a system. I print photos 4x a year, I scrapbook one long weekend a year and I have a Best of album that is widely shared (instead of subjecting everyone to ALL my kid’s scrapbooks.)
- I retain massive quantities of semi-useless information: author’s names, passwords for defunct bank accounts, Target layouts for cities we used to live in… But I can not memorize the multiplication table beyond 7s.
- I have systems. When going on long vacation, I have an itemized list of clothing choices for all four family members assigned to the proper day. I sometimes even bag and label the day’s clothing choices (with jewelry and accessories.)
- Each book I write has a “bible.” This is a three ring binder of character sketches, plot lines, diagrams and editing notes. Each book also has its own file box which holds my workshop notes and past drafts.
- I write by egg timer. I am nearly incapable of writing without a timer ticking away.
Being organized and creative is an odd talent combination. It is as common as being creative and a perfectionist. But if give the choice, I’d rather be creative than perfect or organized.
I have enjoyed this peeping into your life to see what makes you tick. 😀
@Michelle And you thought it was a time bomb.
I have a little OCD which can lead to cleaning frenzies, but it’s hard to keep a clean house when you have two toddlers storming through. I’m glad I found your blog. I’m stopping by from the A to Z challenge and I look forward to reading more from you.
What a great synopsis of your organizational style. We share a few things in common, including organizing our books by topic. It really IS easier to find something specific. I also scrapbook, but alas, am not up to date. Of course, that is a relative term, as I’ve discovered Stacy Julian’s The Big Picture and have given up keeping chronological scrapbooks (YIKES!). Feeling better about it though since I’m working on what toots my horn at any given minute. Great post!!