Why did I think serving leftover pasta for lunch would be a good idea?
The picture above is the obligatory dose of Benjamin I have to include every time I write a new blog post. Moving on....
Like everyone else, Joel and I are busy starting the new year by re-organizing our house. Or rather, just organizing, since it was never really done in the first place. When we moved here a little under 3 years ago, we just shoved our things in any old room and immediately jumped into fixing up our house and starting new jobs. Four months later, we found out I was unexpectedly (though joyously) pregnant. The next few months were a blur of baby preparations and bed rest, interspersed with more home improvements. Then we actually had the baby, and I operated on total exhaustion mode for several months. This all means trouble in the organizing world. BIG TROUBLE. The room that really took a beating was our guest bedroom/office, not that you could actually see it, what with the 10 pieces of old furniture, various piles of paper to be shredded/filed and boxes of Ben's old clothes and toys that needed to go in the attic. It basically became a catchall for anything we didn't know what to do with, or were too lazy to put away. Eventually we just started shutting the door and pretending like it didn't exist. "Oh, that door? Pay no attention to the room behind that door. It's just a closet." But after 6 months of avoidance, we finally tackled that room and it's starting to look like a livable space again. We still need to list several items on Craigslist (anyone need some furniture?) and I still have a small pile of papers to shred and file, but things are really coming along.
I purchased a book recommended to me by my doctor called ADD Friendly Ways To Organize Your Life. I highly recommend this book for anyone who struggles with ADD, or even if you are just a disorganized person. It really has helped me understand some things I didn't even realize are related to my ADD. I mean, how can you teach someone common organization methods if their brain doesn't even function in an average way? I have always wondered why I have a problem with file cabinets. I will spend hours painstakingly labeling folders and organizing through all of my paperwork, only to abandon the system within a few days as my desk becomes covered in piles of bills to be paid, bills that have been paid, bank statements, etc...But here's the deal; my brain doesn't work that way! I can't tell you what a relief it is to know that. It's not that I'm an idiot, it's just that I need a different system. First of all, I can't do micro-organization, so everything needs to be filed under broad categories. Secondly, a closed drawer is basically a reassurance to my brain that that stuff never needs to be look at again. The author suggests using hanging file folders in open milk crates with casters, and placing them next to your desk. That way everything is easily accessible, but you can still roll them out of sight when guests are over. GENIUS! I think that tip might change my life. Of course, being me, I can't help but get excited about the design options as well. I really like this idea from Apartment Therapy:
Cute, huh? We have a couple of old crates, so we'll see. I don't know if I want to sacrifice them to use as mere filing cabinets though. But I still need to clean out the old filing cabinet first. Focus Anne, focus!
1 comment:
"A closed drawer" - I could have used that information years ago. I thought I was the only person that seemed to need things "out" and "handy" in order to do with them what needed to be done. And yet I hate the clutter. It's a conundrum. But at least I know I'm not the only one!
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