Are You Ready? Are You Organized?

Do your files look like this? Or worse yet, does your quilting stash/craft supplies/craft room or home look this way? Do you want to take this mess into 2009? If not, it is time to get organized ladies and gentleman & yes, I realize for some of us, that is a dirty word!

I have an associates degree in Organizational Leadership, but it really should be in obsessive compulsive organization the way I am constantly moving and changing things around to have more room. I HATE clutter!

I can't quilt or craft if my space is a mess or for that matter if the house is messy, because I have this huge guilt complex about neglecting things to do what I find enjoyment in.

Aside from that, I can't stand to have someone move my stuff around and just toss it into a pile, so I have labeled all my items in my sewing closet and then labeled the shelves so people other than myself can see where they took something from! Yes, I know it is a sickness, but if I posted pictures of my husbands office, the carport area or our utility room, you would know why I can't stand messes.

I mean come on people, if you are having to step over, step on or kick something out of your way, you need my help! Thats right, I am going to help you. All you have to do is want my help and ask for it. There is no charge for this during the entire month of January, so send me some pictures and I will try to help.

As with organization, I think you will notice my blog is a bit more organized because it was driving me crazy to have 5 different places to locate blogs. So there is an area for informational blogs (medical sites, cooking sites, cosmetic sites, etc.) of my choosing. If you are an individual or corporation that would like me to list you as a sponsor or list your site, please contact me for a fee schedule (it is minimal as far as advertising costs go). If I have already listed your site, that doesn't cost you because I liked it so much, I listed it. However, if you want me to remove your site, I will also do that.

So, I will be buying a new shredder in a week or so and shredding file after saved file of unnecessary garbage, placing tax files, kids & legal files away neatly in folders in marked bins in the attic for easier location someday if necessary. I have already tore apart quilting and crafting magazines and placed all my keeper files in page protectors and binders and placed them in a cabinet. All duplicate bills, ads, scraps I have saved...shredder pile.

I have been to WalMart and bought stackable bins large and small and under shelf storage for hubby and I will be supervising putting the utility room in order so I can find a tool, screw, bolt, camping gear, etc. when I need to find something. He was so awesome this year when he cut out the old oil tank out of there giving us room to store kindling...but then again, that needs a bin to be stored in. Now he is working diligently on getting out the old heater. More space!!

I am working with a cabinet maker who will give me a bid (I am hoping he will be gentle) on placing drawers, dry wall and small cabinet under my stair well. He even took the measurements for my tallest appliances so one of the drawers will be able to house all my appliances not used on a daily basis!

My kitchen has always had glass jars and tupperware with visible labels on them.

So, while organization might be a bad word in some households, for mine it is a necessity that I would go crazy without. It is just the nature of the beast when you live in a very small older home with no space. You purge, you clean, you organize and when you can, you make more space.

I will also be concentrating more on my Christian studies and working with the kids more on theirs.

The two things I want to do this year is concentrate on letting my husband know that I appreciate all the work he does for us and his family. He works overtime every week, he spends time with the kids, he gets them off to school twice a week, he helps clean and cook & he needs to know how much I appreciate all he does and how much I love him. It already began with a new Lazy Boy for Christmas!

Speaking of Lazy Boy, I also want to let my best friend know how much I appreciate all he does for me...the endless telephone calls, the 2 hour drives to babysit or come visit, Thanksgiving dinner, etc.

Make 2009 a great year. I don't make resolutions, I only have one year and I stuck with it, but most of the time they are like the clanging of bells, they make a lot of noise, but don't do anything for me.

Finding a new full-time job will also be a priority of mine.

Life is good, look for new things going on and please, as always leave a comment and let me know your opinion!