True Confessions Wednesday: How I Really Feel About Organizing

True Confession #3: I love to organize. I don’t mind cleaning & I tolerate cooking, but I truly love to organize. I find clear spaces refreshing. I love sorting (and tossing) and finding the just right container.

It’s a good thing, too. I work in two paper-intensive professions, which means there is rarely a shortage of paper clutter in my house.
As someone with an I need to see it personal style, I remain a paper-and-pencil girl, too, and am unlikely to reduce the deluge of paper by going electronic.

Since I've begun organizing by STYLE, I've gotten much better about choosing the tools and containers that work for me. Binders and file cabinets are wonderful tools -- for someone else. For me, they're just clutter catchers. I do much better when I choose smaller containers that force me to not only be selective about what goes in, but also to purge on a regular basis, lest I run out of room (because I never seem to run out of papers). I prefer containers that are open (that's my drop and run organizational style speaking), but also do well with clear drawers and drawers that can be labeled.

But the biggest contributor to staying organized is developing the habits to go with the tools. Getting in the habit of putting something away instead of down. Getting in the habit of consistently putting the same item in the same place. Breaking the habit of using tools that don't work for me, no matter how pretty, decorative or well-suited to someone else they may be.

I grew up in a house where everything looked neat all the time, a house that bears little resemblance to my very lived-in little house. When I was a young adult, I reveled in the pendulum swing of my own declaration of independence, evidenced by my joy over being able to leave anything wherever I wanted to. Now, although I'm completely able to appreciate the beauty of a clear, well-organized space, I also want the ease that comes with achieving that in a way that works for me, even if that includes leaving something on the dining room table so I don't forget it has to be done. I want to feel comfortable in my own living space, even if it's imperfect (which it always is). Even if I'm imperfect.

Before I accepted my styles (instead of trying to fit myself into other people's), organizing was an obligation -- something externally imposed and somewhat burdensome. Now, having discovered what truly works for me on a regular basis, organizing is something I look forward to. No longer a chore, it's now a challenge -- and one I've proven I can rise to.

What's not to love?