Fantastical, Who Knew?!

Fantastical, Who Knew?!

Hey!

A couple of weeks ago, I came to the conclusion that my office organization needs to match my personality so that I can be more efficient.  Seems like such an obvious idea, but truly, the idea had not dawned on me.  Hmmm... I wonder what that says about me??

I do know that I like to spread out when I work and I like to see what I need which means that I often sit on the floor to do projects and put my things in piles where I can get to them easily and see them all at once.

Little did I know that I was already showing signs of my organizational personality type; until,  I came across this post which led me to this quiz and then, this explanation.   I was so surprised with the results that I took the quiz twice!   Both times (and even changing a few of the answers) I came up with the same result.   All I can say is... That explains alot!

First thing I did was to get rid of containers that I couldn’t see through so I ordered these clear ones from The Container Store.  They're awesome!  Now, I can see what I need and easily retrieve it.  I may have to order more because one found its way to my freezer to hold those pesky frozen veggie bags that kept sliding out and landing on my feet and one, now, resides in the bathroom under the sink to hold all the bottles and jars together.

 

Multi purpose Bins from The Container Store

When I was young, my mother used to keep me out from under foot and help her clean by having me organize her kitchen pantry.  I would spend an afternoon lining up the cans according to color, or type when I was old enough to read.  As I got older, the women in my family would have me come for a visit to organize their closets.  Consequently, my family viewed me as an organized person and if they thought so... I must be, right?
The reality is what appeared to others to be a love of organization was my expression of love to them by helping.  I enjoyed cleaning those hidden spaces because the newly tidy areas gave the recipients joy. 

After taking the quiz, I understand why conforming to the expected methods of organization has been such a struggle.  I'm freed from guilt and frustration over why I can't seem to stay pulled together as well as the pressure to do what is expected.  Working with my natural inclination, strategically, changes my outlook for success and helps me achieve my goal: a clean office.

Why don't you give the quiz a whirl?  I'd love to hear what type you are!
The quiz

Blessings,

Mimi

"Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.""  

Haggai 1:5  NIV Bible

Magazine Cookie Monster

Magazine Cookie Monster

Hey!

I devour magazines.  I'm like the Cookie Monster of magazines.  I tear out pages and gobble up the ideas and store them away for later.  I've been doing it for so long, I don't even remember when I started.  Some pages, I've kept for so long they've yellowed with age.  

I love to read house ( or the more correct moniker --shelter) magazines, in particular.  Designers suggest starting an idea folder as the first step to discovering  your personal decorating style.  You know, those pictures that make you say, " Oh, I love this _________! It's so me!"

Well, I started out with an idea folder which morphed into three idea notebooks. 

1. Things I would love to do

2. Things I can afford to do

3. Things I'm attracted to but aren't my style but might help someone else sometime

Didn't take long and those three notebooks became six.  

4. Overall house designs I love

5. Do It Yourself Ideas

6. Outdoor ideas

Now, add the six notebooks to a huge file box busting at the seams if plastic could bust and you see my problem.

Clearly, I have a problem.  Some might say I have an addiction.  I've passed this magazine cookie monster addiction onto my girl child who loves to do the same thing except she takes her pictures and glues them into notebooks. 

Perhaps, this problem developed from a love of well designed spaces, a love of creativity, a love of the possible and a love of beautiful things to behold.

I'll be working on this problem over the next few weeks trying to clean up my addiction in my pursuit of a clean office.  If you'd like to read about the start of my office clean up, click  here.

Thanks to each and everyone of you for keeping me on track.  Just knowing that I will be held accountable by posting my progress is helping me achieve my goal.  Much thanks!!!

Blessings,

Mimi

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house.  You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, 

or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." 

Exodus 20:17 NIV Bible

The Difference a Door Makes

The Difference a Door Makes

Hey!

Fingers crossed --- I hope my computer problem is solved.  I promise the glitch was not an attempt to get out of posting the progress in my office.  Honest! Cross my heart!

Last week, I sorted through piles of magazines.  I lost count somewhere around 100.  I think I might have been personally responsible for keeping Hearst and Southern Living Publications in business.  This week, I've moved to my files and progress is slow as a snail.  However, I do have an update for you from last week.

Visual clutter was one of the problems that I've had with my room.  Honey Do took care of that problem last week by hanging the cabinet doors that have been waiting patiently in the garage.
See, the difference a door makes --- One side on and one side waiting.

Honey Do also rehung the closet door.  I don't remember why it came off in the first place.  My guess would be that we were probably painting the room and the door needed painting, too and never made it back up.  I can't believe I lived with it off for so long.

Ah, the calming view of less chaos, I highly recommend it.

Blessings,

Mimi

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

  Matthew 7:7 NIV Bible

The Room No One Should See

The Room No One Should See

Hey!  

I would really love to start this post with a disclaimer and some witty remarks but I'm fresh out of excuses.  And now as I'm writing, I'm starting to feel a little antsy about going through with this post because I would really like people to think I have it all together.  The answer is I really don't and I don't by a long shot.

My office is a room no one should ever see and unfortunately, the family computer is in there and people go back there and I'm ashamed and feel the need to explain why the room looks the way it does and say I'm sorry for it before they walk into it.  I like clean spaces and frankly, the clutter makes me crazy and I can't think and I can't be creative and I get frustrated and just want to pull my hair out.  Anybody else feel this way about a room in their home??

This year, the time has come to get my stuff together.  So here goes, with much trepidation... Drum roll, please  ........... Tah  Dah!

Shockingly awful, isn't it?!

I'd like to say the room doesn't look this way all the time but the truth is, the room is cleaned up!  I took this picture after I had cleaned up a little because Honey Do and I moved the furniture around. 

My job for this weekend (or the next millienium) is to make some serious headway.  I'm planning to clean, organize, purge and fix up this sad, creativity-sucking space.   I want a place to think, a place to write and finish my book for publishing, a place to do craft projects and so much more.

I have big plans for decorating in here.  But first, I'm going to have to tackle the HUGE pile of pictures and memorabilia that need to be sorted and put into albums.  This job is the one that I have procrastinated the most because the pile is overwhelming and has stifled the creative juices out of me but I have a plan.

My plan for success is YOU!  I'm hoping you, my wonderful readers and friends, will hold me accountable to achieving this task.  I plan to keep you updated and I will give a report next week so I HAVE NO EXCUSE and a deadline, always a good combination.

Will you help me?
And while we're on the subject... what about you, do you have any dirty little secret rooms that need help?  I won't feel so lonely if you'll join me in getting our stuff together.  What do you say???

Blessings,

Mimi

 "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." 

Proverbs 31:17  NIV Bible

 

Ramblings

Ramblings

Hey!

January is such a wonderful month to get organized: to plan for the year, buy containers and folders  to organize papers and pretend I'm not scatterbrained and to purge items that need to find a home in somebody else's house or in the trash can.

Jen Hatmaker took purging to a whole other level when she decided to remove excess from her life. I've heard and read about her book, Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, which I bought but I am procrastinating reading.  Reason-----I'm not sure I'm ready for the conviction.

Then the other day, I ran across a blog post about someone somewhere who reduced her trash to one garbage bag for the ENTIRE year which intrigued me and, at the same time, made me really stop and think about my wastefulness.  I think it might have been this post here.   I'm starting to wonder if God might be trying to tell me something about my habits...

I spent some of the weekend purging and straightening the attic with Honey Do.  I know you're dying to see a picture of my clean attic but let me assure you;  it's clean but NOT worth seeing!   Honey Do laid down some additional insulation so money is not leaking out the roof.  Since we paid for 2 weddings this year (see here and here  (Love you Big A and Doodlebug!)), we're trying to find recovery money anywhere we can find it!

I had a hard time parting with some of the items from the attic.  They're really not worth much but I "know they'll come in handy one day."  Honey Do's response, " It's time to upgrade, babe."  He's right.   I know he's right.  It's time.  My house can't keep looking like it's waiting to be finished or what I like to refer to as "Early Attic".   After all, I've got a HUGE birthday this year and I need to spend some effort on my house so I can show it off!

 
I read this post Darlene wrote  at fieldstonehilldesign  about creating your own "style" words and "don't buy" words that got me to thinking about my home and what I want it to say to those who walk through my door and live here.  I think the words will also really help me to make those decisions I find hard to because of sentimentality and indecision.  The Nester's blog is also a great place to find encouragement that your home doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.   Better choices to a better home :)

So, all of this rambling has led me to here.  I'm planning to ask myself these 3 questions while cleaning, purging and organizing.

1. Do I really love it?

2. Would the-sky-fall-and-the-world-stop-turning if I got rid of it today and couldn't put something new in its place?

3. Does it meet my chosen style words?

What about you?  What has been tugging on your heart to change in your home? 

I'm still working on my style words.  I'll share when I'm done :)

Blessings

Mimi

"My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest."  
Isaiah 32:18  NIV Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey!

When you were a kid, did you ever think about what was under your bed at night?  I remember thinking  there were alligators on the floor and how I was going to get out of my bed if I needed to.

These days, I have a drawer lurking under my bed... on purpose.
Without further ado, I present Drawer #31...

I had Honey Do repurpose my find from the side of the road for storage under the bed.  He added wheels to the bottom so I can slide it. 

I hope you've enjoyed my October Challenge of 31 posts of 31 Drawers of Change.  If you read any or all, I'm really glad you stopped by!!   I hope you'll check back again!  I can't wait to show you what else I've been working on!!

Blessings,

Mimi

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God 

has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:14  The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey! 

Another bathroom drawer today!  The middle drawer is really Honey Do's drawer.  However, I admit I do invade it with some of my things like razors.  I'm a girl ...... what can I say?! 

 Look at all that space!    Amazing! 

Add some new drawer liner, a little straightening up and voila!   

Drawer #12!

Blessings,

Mimi

"Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet;

 his whole body is clean...""  John 13:10  The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey! 

Bathroom drawers can get so nasty! And toothpaste tubes... they need cleaning because they get all gummy!  Hairbrushes benefit from a scrubbing every now and then.  I've been known to run them through the dishwasher.

This drawer isn't atrocious but it definitely needed some attention.
My green comb should be thrown out since its missing some teeth but I am sentimentally attached!  I started using it to comb out my hair after swim team practice when I was 9 years old.

A nice and tidy bathroom drawer with no toothpaste residue..... A beautiful thing!


Blessings,

Mimi

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."  

Psalm 51:7   The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey!

I enjoy making handmade cards but I haven't made many in recent years. Sure, lots of reasons exist as to why I haven't.  Some are valid, others aren't.  Part of my master plan is better organizing my craft space so I spend more time creating than time trying to find what I'm looking for!

I think everybody is creative.  We just express it in different ways.  

Is un  organization keeping you from being creative today?

Blessings,

Mimi

"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;"   Isaiah 49:16   The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey! 

What does this jumbled mess inside of one of my craft drawers say about me?  Does it say I'm unorganized or creative?  In a  hurry or lazy to put things back neatly?

I think, perhaps, all of the above are true.  I tend to be creatively unorganized because I'm in a hurry and too lazy to put things back neatly! 

Not much changed from the before to the after.... and that is okay.

Allow your creative, unorganized self to be expressed today!

Blessings,

Mimi

"And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested

 from all the work of creating that he had done."  Genesis 2:3   The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey!

Ever wonder how many people file their nails when they watch television?  Or floss their teeth? I wonder what these habits say about us.

Do they hint at the fact that we might be fastidious? anxious? Or maybe a tad bored? I don't floss my teeth while watching television but I do occasionally file my nails.

What does all this have to do with today's drawer?

I don't keep a lot of things in my end table drawer, mainly, because it is only 2 inches deep!

I do, however, keep fingernail supplies, television channel listings, a pen and a deck of cards.  

A tidy and neat Drawer #6!

Blessings,

Mimi 

"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." 

1 Corinthians 14:40  The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey!

Yay!  I completed the drawers in my desk today!

This left hand drawer, I don't use very often. I think maybe its because I'm right handed but it might have to do with what I keep in it: gadgets for the computer and calculators.  Calculators dredge up memories of math class which start making me feel anxious and want to bite my nails. 

I had to enlist some help from Honey Do to clean it out.  I didn't want to throw out some gizmo, gadget zip drive thing that was crucial to functioning on the computer.  I also needed input on those 5 calculators we had because quite frankly, they all looked alike to me.  But apparently, they were not.

Ahhh ...... nice and tidy!   Drawer #5!

How about you; are you feeling inspired to clean out a desk drawer or two?

Blessings,

Mimi 

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you."  Psalm 139:18,19    The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey!

Drawer #4!

The right side drawer of my desk is really narrow and things don't fit nicely.  In it, I store things that keep or fit other things together like paper clips, staples, brads, tacks and tape.  

I think people are a little like these fasteners.  They connect us to activities and other people.

Sometimes, these connections are sturdy like a staple or tape and other times, they're prone to separate when fastened lightly like a paper clip.

I have other people in my life that act like a brad. They've left a permanent  mark.  If a place wasn't made for them, they punched a hole to connect.  Sometimes, the holes are good and sometimes, bad.

What kind of fastener are you?

Blessings,

Mimi

" I will fasten him firmly in place like a peg, and he will be a source of honor to his whole family. "

Isaiah 22:23    The Holy Bible

31 Drawers of Change

Hey! 

Some days are downright busy and today was one of them for me.  

Drawer #3 is a workhorse drawer.  My center desk drawer gets so chock full of papers and pens that all those important passwords I can never remember are hard to find. 

I try to keep this drawer straight but I haven't cleaned it in several months so... no time like the present.

What should I highlight about this drawer?  I know....I like highlighters, Post its and I like the smell of  freshly sharpened pencils.

The day is almost over; the drawer, nice and, relatively, neat. 

I sure hope it stays this way! 

Blessings,

Mimi 

"For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see

 how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is."    Colossians 2:5    The Holy Bible