Not My Talent

"Organized people are just too lazy to look for something when they need it." A quote Mike and I laugh about often. Apparently, we aren't lazy.

My mom is very organized. My mother-in-law is also very organized. By organized I mean specifically those smoldering piles actually get put away regularly, things actually have a home and get put in them, you can ask for so and so's 4th grade report card and so and so's birth certificate and 1o seconds later you are holding them in your hands. Neither Mike or I got this trait, AT ALL! We are two of the most unorganized people you will ever meet! We hold something, look at it, and put it on the nearest surface because we don't know where to put it and then before someone comes over, that pile gets scooped up and hidden for another day. Granted over the last 7 years of our marriage, my organization skills have improved by LEAPS and BOUNDS, so where am I? Still no where close to an organized person! If you ask for something truly important, birth certificates, car titles, social security cards, I now actually know where they are and you can be holding them in 10 seconds. But if you are looking for a t-mobile bill from 2007 GOOD LUCK! It's in the house, it hasn't been thrown away, but GOOD LUCK, hope you have 2 good hours! Being pregnant with #3, I just keep thinking, "If I'm drowning now....OH CRAP!" Everyone already says 3 is the hardest, so let's throw in complete unorganized chaos to the madness. I'm sure it's also some nesting in me that the mess is really getting to me and I want to fix it!

Last year at tax time, (Mike does our taxes) it took a few days of on again off again working on it and asking, "Julie, where is...?" A few hours later and some things actually put away or thrown away we found it. This year I was determined to do better! All last year I started a system and was decent at keeping it up. Some times it was neglected for a month or a couple of months, but because I finally found what worked for me, it was a couple of hours in front of Pride and Prejudice (yes, the long one) and I was back in business. This year taxes were better! It only took ALL day on Saturday. Most of his questions were 3-5 minute finds with some even just seconds. There was still 1 mystery. I'm sure it's in a box, somewhere, just don't ask. Next year will be even better!

I know I didn't know either my mom or mother in law when they were pregnant with #3, but I can GUARANTEE they were much farther along the organizational trail than I am. I've observed, gotten lots of tips, and asked lots of questions and am on the right track. I just need one or two weeks of no cooking, cleaning, or kids and my house will be perfectly organized. :) Until then, when you come to my house, expect to see piles and don't open any closet doors. I'm improving, but still have a long way to go!

I'm down to 2 spots that look like this. It used to be like 15! And after I took this picture, I actually cleaned it, so now I only have one spot that looks like this. Come back tomorrow...it will be back, just in a slightly different form.

I'm not accountable for my husband's organizational skills. Look at his office. I'd like to say that I can help him, but who are we kidding?

So over the next month, my focus is less mopping and a little more organizing...we're going to see what we can do before #3 makes it's appearance and find a few more "homes" for things and improve a little bit more.