I admit it...I love organization! What's more I love to do the organizing myself. I've sorted and categorized things since I was a little girl...it was just plain fun for me, and still is. If it were possible, I would begin a late-in-life career as a professional organizer but in a small town like ours not many folks would be willing to pay someone to organize their underwear drawer.
Recently I had a bridal shower in my home and friends and guests were teasing me about this....
That's my laundry + storage room and this is my "stuff"...the stuff everyone needs has but don't always know where it is. I know where mine is...labels, labels, labels...I love labels!
These notebooks contain paper work for my mentoring and supervising jobs as well as holiday ideas, genealogy research, gardening and decorating ideas,and anything else I find on the internet or in magazines that I want to keep for future projects. Each notebook contains tabbed sections to identify the contents. My own reference library! Definitely better than sticking everything in an old shoebox.
As you look around you may also notice this...
In my closet I put different types of clothes on different colored hangers...
Shoes are in labeled boxes and stored by color.
Jewelry is also sorted by color and/or style.
Something I've recently discovered is that the older I get the less clutter I am comfortable with. So I've gotten rid of a lot of things that no longer serve a purpose. I recently read that 80% of what we keep we don't use. (Surely I use more of my "stuff" than that!) I've also heard that if you don't wear an article of clothing for a year you need to get rid of it. Hmmm...I disagree. I've brought out things that went out of style and then came back again! Of course, I could probably get rid of those saddle oxfords (we called them BeBops) that I wore in high school!
Whether OCD or just a love of organization, I like my labels and I like knowing where my things are. And when I'm dead and gone my son and his wife will have a lot less trouble getting rid of all my "stuff"!
I love seeing how people organize their things.
ReplyDeleteI love your reference library!
There is so much inspiration in blog land, isn't there?
Thank you for yours!
Laura
White Spray Paint
Oh Cheri...can you come to Toronto, I have a guest room, and organize me... I need you!
ReplyDeleteI am completely organized to the point that people make fun of me, but you my sweet Cheri ............Have OCD!!!!LOL No guest spot for you on Horders!! I just love looking at the pictures, as I sooooo love organization!
ReplyDeleteCarol
I'm thrilled that you still have your saddle shoes. I agree with all the color coding! How can you go wrong with a system like that? I just don't know how you find the time to do all your projects, Cheri. You've done a great job of organization. I also tend to forget what jewelry I have unless I have it out and hanging up (necklaces in particular). I'm sure you could recommend something to me for that. I'm impressed and no OCD, just great organizational skills and more peace of mind for you!
ReplyDeleteI have organizational envy Cheri! Oh my, your good girl! I really need to print this page for future reference! My hubby is a lot like you. He is so organized and I wonder if your just kind of born that way. My daughter does the hanger thing too and she is naturally organized as well.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe you are old enough to have worn those saddle shoes!
Hugs,
Cindy
Don't know about OCD but I and my Husband need some skills. I have my office pretty well that way, and clothes by similar colors but the rest of the house, NOPE. however my Clutter is for the most part hidden. Soon more will be as I will be sending what was intended for a yard sale [I hate to do them} to the Salvation Army and Humane Society.
ReplyDeleteOh honey, we are definitely kindred spirits! I love to organize! (However, I am not the best at keeping it organized. Although my pantry is still looking really good!) I am also a whole-hearted label lover too! Love your organization. I organize my closet by sleeve length - sleeveless, short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, long sleeve, jackets, skirts, crop pants, and long pants. I so understand!
ReplyDeleteHoly Smokes Mama! You left the top off of the spray can in the first picture!!! And you call yourself organized! :)
ReplyDeleteHELP ME:) I love all of your organization! I use labels and shoe containers too! Not the colored hangers but that is a great idea AND the notebooks! GIRL, great job! Love it all and yes, I can see a business in all of that! Have a blessed day my friend! HUGS!
ReplyDeleteOH I would like to be better organized, but I AM working on it! The saddle shoes are really fun...you need to keep those!
ReplyDeleteI'm just like Sweet Bee, I have things organized in containers, but my containers are disorganized, lol. My recent moves have forced me to downsize, so I'm hoping it will be easier now.
ReplyDeleteMy pantry is organized though, when I'm cooking I want to know exactly where everything is and be able to reach for it easily.
Thanks for the welcome back, I've missed my blogging friends so much!
You put me to shame. I don't have things nearly that organized. For me, not having chaos means an "orderly mind" (whatever that means.) For instance, I could not possibly start a project on a muddled desk.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I actually had my mouth open the whole time reading this...you are soooo good! My good friend Donna at Starkey Hollow loves labels too, now I've met someone who could be her twin label lover separated at birth. P.S...those shoes look like they have some great stories to tell!
ReplyDeleteWow!! I'm totally impressed - and a little scared :-D
ReplyDeleteYou would faint if you came to my house - no lie....I have a room that I don't even know what's in there. It started when my oldest daughter moved out and left stuff behind and then subsequently each daughter dumped stuff in there when they moved out and then I started remodeling and dumped stuff in there and the *gasp* I didn't have enough room in my closet so my extra clothes went in there and now - I don't even know what's in there but I can tell you - it's several layers deep. You would faint.....
OMG! If you saw my closet I would probably have to do CPR on you! I tell myself that I need to get in there and organize all of my sweaters and stuff up on my shelves but then I talk myself out of it and discover why my closet has a door and Tim's doesn't! :)
ReplyDeleteI think we are long lost relatives or our ancestors jumped the fence...lol
ReplyDeleteYour organization is a lot like mine...and btw...I call those hangers...ADULT GIRANIMALS ;) Instead of tags we just use hangers...lol I've gotten less OCD with age but they use to call me the LABEL NAZI at work and I too use notebooks for everything ;) My jewelry drawers look like yours...I use wooden cutlery trays to sort my stuff and keep the bulk of my jewelry in my top dresser drawers. I have to say though...that I believe the 80% rule and I'm so over all of my stuff. We downsized twice in one year and I'm still purging. btw...I don't think you'd like being a Professional Oranizer...I was for a few years and stopped doing homes and moved on to businesses because it was glorified housekeeping at best. The show HOARDERS is so right on...that I can't even watch it because it brings back bad job memories. I had one client that I had to return to her home 4 times and she begged me to come back the last time. I only agreed because I charged her $99.00/hour and brought my sister because she needed the money. MY SISTER didn't believe me before when I said...NO MONEY is worth it...NOW she understands...lol So be careful what you wish for ;) Fondly, Roberta
http://con-tain-it.typepad.com
I love your organization!! I wish I had the time to begin to try and be that organized. Maybe one day. :o)
ReplyDeleteYou do inspire me, though!!
Fondly,
Ann
@
The Tattered Tassel