Irony

Irony is calling yourself the posting queen and then being unable to find the time to post for three days. It has been very busy around these parts. I am doing my organizing stuff all the time now and I have decided to share some of the things that have surprised me and also hugely affected me.

• Flylady told me a long time ago to come up with a uniform. I have been pondering over that as I sort through clothes that are too large for me now and "find" new clothes I can fit into. While I love being in jammies all day unless we are going somewhere, that is a little embarrassing when someone drops by. Most people see pajamas as slothful lazy wear-I see them as workclothes. I don't care if I get bleach or paint on my pajamas-I REALLY care if I get bleach or paint on my "going out of the house clothes". So I am trying to sort through and establish new "work clothes". Older T-shirts and shirts that already have stains or clothes that feel nice but don't look exactly like I want them to-faded and such-shall be saved to be my official uniform. AND this will also serve as a way to weed out some no longer needed or worn clothing.
• Multi-tasking is evil. Women like to claim we are excellent at it but multi-tasking just basically means giving nothing full attention and doing alot of things poorly with little attention. To someone like me, multi-tasking is the kiss of death. For example, let's say I start ten things: barely start 2, get halway through three, almost through with 5 and finish nothing. At the end of the day, that really stinks. It is a really hard habit to break though!! I am forcing myself to finish things. And to go ahead and just do it-put those clothes away, don't just pile them up, deliver them where they go. Hang up that shirt you just took off or take it to the dirty clothes. Put your purse on the hook. Walk your shoes to the closet. It is really hard to go ahead and finish things. My kids have inherited this!
• Sorting/organizing is a task best limited to small areas at a time or it will never be finished. Finish one job and then move to another. Never attempt to sort things in multiple areas at a time.
• Buying containers comes last-when you know what types of things you actually need. I have a basket/container collection that embarrasses me, mostly because it is seldom the right dimensions for what I need. Wrong container=Wasted $$
• Organize all paper into three files. ONLY 3 files. READ. ACTION. FILE. All the paper on counters and tables should be sorted into those three and no more. Of course, some other files are needed or one would not need a FILE category, but the current active papers cluttering the home that go into only 3 files. READ-these are items to read like magazines or catalogs relating to a hobby. There is no action required from any of the read only file. ACTION-these are all items that require some type of action. I have papers to be graded and so much more in mine. This folder should be gone through morning and night to make a master to-do list from so that nothing is lost or forgotten. FILE-only papers requiring no further action go into the file folder. These should be put in "dead" filing at least monthly, perhaps even weekly depending on volume.

That is all the wisdom I have to share right now. I am very tired, it's been a LONG day, we did some school this morning and some this evening. That is so not ever a good plan.