What Are You Organizing For?

When you think about organizing or getting organized, what is your purpose?  What is the appeal for you?  Do you feel better when you are organized?  Are you tired of looking for things?  Do you feel overwhelmed by stuff?  There are lots of reasons to want to get and be organized, but when you find your reason - organize to that reason.

I watched an organizing video by someone who was over and above organized.  And it was Too. Much. For. Me.  She had every paper color coded by year and pattern.  Her sticky notes were organized by her color and her light bulbs had labels.  There was a recycling container by anything she might ever throw out - light bulbs, batteries, papers (I'm not against recycling, but there were too many for me.)  I'm sure that for some people, this type of organizing works great, but I couldn't handle it or live like that.  So I'm not organizing to reach that type of perfection.  I am organizing so I can find what I want when I want it, so I can use the things I have, so my house isn't overly cluttered and so I can live the way I want to live.

In the past few months I produced a play, "As You Like It."  I was in charge of costumes and scenery and many of the props.  Seven years ago, I produced a different Shakespeare play.  When I went to costume, do scenery and props, I could easily pull out the things I used seven years ago.  I knew where they were, they were accessible and not ruined..  Why?  I have a system in my house of where things are and where they belong.  It includes taking care of the things I have and using them.  My system and organization helps me to do the things I want to do.

What do you want your organization to do for you?

Flow

A few years ago, I chose the word flow as my word for the year.  I loved focusing on it and getting my house moving in a more flowing direction.  Stuff comes in, stuff goes out.  There is so much that is better with flow!  When things get stuck and stagnate, that's when you really start having problems in your house - you can't find things, there's no where to put things, there are stacks and piles.

Here are a few things that benefit from good flow in your house:

* Mail and papers.  Most of the mail and papers that come into your house can be sent right back out again.  You don't even have to let them come in.  You can stand at the recycling can when you get your mail.  But chances are, plenty will still make their way in.  But don't leave it in your house!  Create a good flow and don't let all that paper get stagnant.  At least once a week, I gather all the loose papers in my house and quickly sort them.  Most get sent out.  Here's my recycling pile this week:

I do this at least every week and that is still the size of my "out" pile.  Yours may be bigger or smaller.  But the more you move out, the more you don't have to deal with again.  

* Clothes.  You have clothes that don't fit, that are falling apart, that you won't choose.  Give them flow.  You let them come in and let them go out when they aren't fulfilling their purpose.  I went through my clothes about 2 months ago.  I filled a black garbage bag plus a few smaller ones with things to move out.  Move them out!

* Food.  The food in your house needs flow.  Food that sits is wasted food.  It rots, get stale, rancid or moldy.  Create flow in refrigerator, cupboards and counters.  I was so sad to find a box of healthy crackers on one of my shelves that expired in 2017.  I don't buy crackers much and I guess I never decided it was time to eat those.  By the time I tried them, I just had to throw them out.  That's flow, but a better flow would be to have eaten them.

* Toys.  Toys need flow - especially cheap toys that are fun for a few minutes and then are never played with again.  You can give these toys flow.  They fulfilled their 5 minute purpose - then let them move on and out.  If it helps, you can call them temporary toys.  Let them stay a day, a week, or even a month.  But once it's been long enough - move them out.  Give them flow.

Can you have a blog, abandon it for 10 years and then come back?  So much has happened in 10 years.  Those 4 little kids have grown up.  We've added one more baby who has already grown up to age 7!  The challenges of having littles - so many toys and needs and growing have changed.  When I look back on my posts from back then, I still agree with them.  I've also grown and become even better at organizing.  I have new ideas and lots of things I want to blog about.  So, at least for a little while, it looks like I'm back.