Disorganisation @Home

I recently responded to a blog on the Neat And Simple Living Cafe

Still trying to learn how to insert links! :(

www.neatandsimpleliving.com

So, how come I am so organised at work but not so at home?

I didn't dare dwell on them for too long because I really didn't want to get into the psychological connotations but summarised like so:

@Work
1. I am very territorial so 'a place for everything & everything in it's place' is my motto along with 'borrow what you need & return it - otherwise risk getting your hands chopped off!'
2. I hate clutter so I work in a neat environment & tidy up at the end of the day
3. I have a routine for daily/weekly/monthly/annual to dos in order to be productive with the rest of my time
4. I am accountable for my actions -> work not done=boss not happy=losing job=:o(

@Home
Same as 1,2 & 3 BUT I am not accountable. Hubby & kids can't sack you, right? RIGHT????!!!

It basically comes down to this: at work I am in control of my surroundings & outcomes but at home, I have to share my surroundings and not everyone likes, agrees or works in the same way.

There has to be a compromise. I have discovered that this usually leads to some form of clutter, reduced productivity & disorganisation because I am not totally in control.

Do I sound like a control freak & perfectionist? HELL YEAH!!!!

Something wrong with wanting a neat, well run home with spare time to enjoy well prepared family dinners & outings? Or to spend some quality family time before the kids totally abandon us for their own friends & entertainment? Am I asking for too much?

No wonder I feel like I may have ADD! Hmmmmm, might go to the quack & get it checked out!

What do you think causes your disorganisation @Home

Decluttering Frenzy

It was my daughter Lisa's 20th birthday on Sunday and we had arranged for a family get-together to celebrate the on-set of her Tweeny years.

I had decided that this year, there would be no home cooking (my mum usually takes control of this), instead we would have 'Pizza (a) metro'. This is gourmet pizza made in 1/2 meter lengths as opposed to the traditional and uninteresting round pizzas.

With the main food all under control, the only thing left was the salads & dips to prepare - prepared by my mum because dad grows his own vegies :-)

A vision of my mum going to the pantry for spices, oils & vinegars and then searching through the cupboards and drawers for appropriate strainers,bowls & salad spoons set me off in a cold sweat!

Mum & I work quite differently in the kitchen. I clean up as I go along whereas mum likes to do it all after she's finished preparing a smorgasbord of dishes.

And that is what sent me into my decluttering frenzy.

I didn't want to be constantly showing mum where I keep things, or discover that I had run out of essential items. I just wanted us all to have a relaxing and fun time.

It was then that I realised that my kitchen was not 'user-friendly', it was only functional to me (not a good idea when you want the kids or hubby to prepare meals)!

I was only going to do a little 'buzz clean' - the utensil drawer, the essential pantry items & salad cupboard. Instead, I went all out and decluttered the whole damn kitchen!

What a lunatic, what on earth was I thinking??? How on earth can I contemplate doing this AND the rest of the housework & laundry the day before a party?

I enlisted the help of (reluctant) kids & hubby and we managed to get it all done - and with time to spare!

Now I will be the first to admit that this is not normal. Decluttering should not be attempted in this manner.
But then again, those who know me will tell you that I am truly unique LOL. Below is how I should have done it.

Easy decluttering:

1. Baby Steps
Start with a small or problem section/area, don't beat yourself up hoping to do the entire kitchen

2. 3+1
3 boxes + 1 garbage bag - 'Sort' box, 'Put Away' box, 'Return/Donate' box + rubbish bag

3. Timer/Clock
Set at 15 minutes

4. Action Plan
Set yourself a realistic goal & time frame for what you want to achieve

5. SPAM Method

Sort
Empty the contents of drawer, cupboard or shelf and place 'like' with 'like' items

Purge
Put loved,used & required items into 'Sort' box
Put items belonging in other areas/rooms into 'Put Away' box

Put borrowed, no longer used, unwanted items into 'Return/Donate' box
Put all broken, mouldy, expired items in rubbish bag & throw out immediately

Arrange
Organise all items in the 'Sort' box into the cleared space, keeping 'like' with 'like'
Return all items in the 'Put Away' box to their appropriate areas/rooms
Return borrowed items and thoughtfully donate what's left in 'Return/Donate' box

Maintain
Regularly review & purge to maintain your organised space

6. Reward
An organised and efficient space to show off !

A Fine Mess!

I can't begin to count the many (unsuccessful) attempts I have made at clearing clutter and 'getting' organised....way too painful!

Many weekends I have exhausted myself with my 'cleaning rampage', overwhelmed, knee-deep with piles of stuff that required sorting, making last minute dashes to Howard's Storage & Officeworks for more containers and manila folders, tearing hamstrings whilst de-cluttering and trying to convince my children that divorcing their mother was a COSTLY (if not drastic) excercise!

Yep, I have gone through the paces & failed every time.

So, how does a person, whose personality relies so heavily on structure & order, end up being so disorganised?

Read any book on clutter, organisation, time management or psychology and you will find there are different personality types, disorders, symptoms and situations that lead to this fine mess.

For most people, it's one or two of these things.

I, on the other hand, don't like half measures. No, I need to go ALL OR NOTHING!

I had the scarcity belief drilled into me by my parents so I would constantly hoard, I was forever bringing things home from the Salvo's rather than taking stuff there, I would defer making decisions and made matters worse by procrastinating, and probably a touch of ADD if I bothered to see a shrink!

My Motto: If it couldn't be filed/sorted/put away perfectly then it would have to wait until it could.

Add to this lovely mix, a family business in crises, skewed work/life balance, children & family commitments, poor self-esteem and you have a recipe for disaster.

Through trial and error, I have realised that you just can't 'get' organised, you have to become organised.

I have also learnt that there is no set style of being organised. It's personal and should be tailored to work for the individual.

Just like there is no manual for parents, there is no manual for becoming organised - YET (stay tuned).

I have taken affirmative action - I am reclaiming control and have started becoming organised.