An attempt at restoring order..and..the reason I cannot seem to get my act together.

 ...in the arena of organizing my home and my life, that is. I've decided it's not my fault. 

I'm thinking it's a female thing. (And they say identifying your problem is half the battle, right?) I honestly do not think men have this problem. Mmm hmmm, I think it's gender-related. 

I was rehashing and beating the topic half to death discussing this problem with my good friend Dona the other day, because she had boldly decided to clean out her make up drawer. (I know, it's a scary place for most of us girls) The discussion began when she called me and asked me to guess how many lipsticks she had unearthed in her make up arsenal. 

me: Ummm..ten?

her: Fourteen.

me: Well, I guess you're lips are set for the rest of your life then.

her: But this is ridiculous. I tried to get rid of some of them, but when I open one up I think, oh ya. I like that color. But do I wear them?! No. How many do you have?

me: Two. One in my purse, one in my teller drawer at the bank.

her: (short pause here) Oh. 

me: Just don't ask me how many brown eyeshadows I have. Please.

We discussed this topic for several more hours and came to the conclusion that it's part of being a girl. (We got all the good stuff- cramps, labor, menopause...) We're at the store and we can't remember if we have an item, (this situation is far more prevalent with girls old enough to receive a monthly issue of the AARP magazine I am noticing, now that I am one of them) or we're at home and we cannot find the item needed, or we are out shopping and we suddenly find ourselves buying a "new" shade of something (insert item here: nail polish, lipstick, eyeshadow, etc.) only to get home, open the item, and discover that:

a. We already had the item, in exactly the same color even. In the drawer it goes.

b. The item really isn't "us" but, we just opened the item and now we can't return it, so we feel the need to keep it in the drawer.

c. We are thrilled we bought the item, because we are sure that we must have been out of the item, since none seem to be in the house...and, a month later find the other bag-box-whatever of the said item.

Another case in point... after coming to the conclusion that most of Dona's lipsticks could in fact be donated to the Women's Shelter, she was on a roll, and set out to clean out the entire bathroom vanity. 

She texted me with a progress report about an hour later. It read:

"Apparently I am having a love affair with cotton. Cotton balls, cotton swabs..."

Oh. My. Gawd. I can so identify with that. I have the very same phenomenon going on in my vanity, only the products that appear to be reproducing durning the night at my home seems to be self tanning lotions and nail polish remover. (And, for the record, I  cannot remember the last time I polished my own nails)

It all got me thinking and I have decided that it comes down to organization. And, less is more. When there is order, we feel more at peace..and, more importantly...we can find things when we need them. I personally am sick to death of breaking out in a cold sweat each time anyone asks me if they can borrow my tape measure. I am here to tell you that those days are going to be gone for good from my soon to be organized life....that's my new plan anyway.

You know, I've already organized my sweet lil' dresser-turned-buffet in my great room, and I. am. loving. it. It's arranged perfectly, holding all of my anything-and-everything for my table settings, including place card holders, tea lights and matches to light them. I got rid of the table setting accessories that I hadn't used in ten or more years. (Pretty sure if I haven't used it since 1991 I am not ever going to use it.)

While it might sound like I am a complete goofball, organizing all of this somehow eliminates stress for me...and I think it looks so nice and tidy that I will occasionally go over and open a drawer to take a peek and marvel at my accomplishment...okay, that does make me sound like I am a goofball.

The bottom line here is that organizing the little buffet has inspired me to try to to restore order to all of the rooms of my home now. 

On the flip side of things....While items like nail polish remover and self tanning lotion seem to be multiplying at night in the vanity cupboard, other items disappear without so much as a goodbye-it's-been-real...mainly rubbermaid lids. Or bottoms, but never from the same size combo. What is up with that?

Comments

[Betsy Derr]

I have about 30 lipsticks! I know, it's pathetic! But I have to buy 10 to find one that looks good on my pale self. That's why I love buying lipstick at The Dollar Tree. I can buy 10 for the price of one at the Dept. store and maybe end up with one I can actually wear and that I can stand the smell of or the texture on my lips or that doesn't feather. The trials of being a woman. BUT....I enjoy being a girl!!!

[Leslie]

Thanks for the laugh. I have a whole drawer full of little plastic containers - you know, for travelling....

[Marietta]

You make me smile....

[Gayla]

May I just inser that if I had that silverware drawer, I would probably have it open all the time to brag. "UH, would you be a dear and see if my _______ (anything whatsoever) is in that drawer?.... No?,,,,, well, thank you. Yes, All my things are JUST like that.... You are too kind. Don't hate me. No pictures, please!"

[Cottage Sunshine]

Hi Tracey!

I had been away for a while on a vacation trip and now trying to catch up a little bit on my favorite blogs....of course, yours being one of them! :) Congratulations on your beautiful new grandbaby!!! So beautiful!!!! (What baby isn't beautiful, right?? I love babies! :D) Also, I am so sorry for your boyfriend loss. I being single too, I understand the roller coaster ride of dating. God has a plan for you though...that you can be certain! May God heal your heart; and the timing for this beautiful baby to come along is perfect to fill your heart with joy & peace!!

Love ya girlie!
Carolyn

[Marm]

Loved the post. It was all so true. The plastic containers and lids dilemma rings true to me. I hang on to the odd ones in hopes the other part shows up--kind of like the single socks always sitting on top of my dryer. When I finally get brave and throw them away, the mate or lid shows up. Sheesh!
P. S.
Your grandson is beautiful.

[Wanda @ Just Vintage]

I can so identify and you said it all so well. You've inspired me! But what to tackle first? And when?

[Elaine L.]

Today was my last day of work. I'm retired!

Organizing my home is my big mission.
Only a woman could appreciate this. A man would think we were nuts for looking forward to cleaning and organizing.

~elaine~

[Judy]

I agree...it's gotta be a girl thing. My husband is totally oblivious to the disorganization in his areas of the house. I, on the other hand, obsess over having my "treasures" organized. Not that they actually ARE completely organized...but I'm constantly convinced that the moment they are, my life will be tranformed! :)

Judy

[Carla]

I had to read your part about the rubbermaid containers to my husband , because he is always saying that. He said " That is so true, I really thought it was just us" Ha Ha
I am with you on everything about this , except I do not have very much makeup. But I know the stress when someone wants to borrow something and you know that you have it just where was that at. And I hate looking for things it makes me soo mad

[Debbie]

Too funny! When my kids were at home I was always on top of things, now in my 50 something years I just can't keep it together - where does that come from? Today while out shopping for the granddaughter I seen some really cute tops and picked me up a few, thinking I don't think I bought this before, only to get home and find it hanging in the closet.HaHa
Your grandbabies are adorable!

[nan]

Just discovered your blog! Love it! I too need to organize - You have inspired me! :)

[The Sewing Queen]

This "woman" thing is just beginning. Walking into a room and then wondering why you're there is around the corner. The best one yet for me is "my safe place", i.e. buying a Birthday/Christmas gift ahead of time and putting it in a "safe place". Out of sight, out of mind. Imagine how you feel when weeks/months later after the event, you're looking for a certain pair of socks, panties, etc. and whoa that's where you put those gifts. See, they've been safe all along but, of course, you've replaced them because you couldn't remember the designation of the "safe place". They have now become a "just because" gift.

[Shelly]

I'm so GLAD to know there's a reason! Whew! I loved this post . . . it's so me . . . you've inspired me to do some major "cleaning" in every room of my poor little shack . . .

[vickysplace1]

I fit in.

[Spencer]

Oh my gooooodness........I can SO relate to this post. I am spring cleaning right now and actually JUST finished my bathroom. I love how order makes me feel....not that it was horrible and I should be on an episode of HOARDERS, but, getting rid of unwanted things is like hitting the jackpot... And, I bought new hangers. How thrilling is that? Those lovely velvet numbers? Delish...

And, I won't even tell you how many tubes of lipstick I have....believe me.. it's WAY more than Dona. :-)

Your grandson is adorable....congrats to all.

Huggies,
Spencer

[Becky]

OMG! I just found you through the WWC Friday feature & I love you! You're a very funny writer & I can't wait to catch up on some of your older posts!
In regards to the latest post...I have 13 lipsticks, 3 cans of shaving cream & 2 bottle of saline eye solution! I am so guilty of buying duplicates that it's even overlapped into my craft shopping! I buy the same papers & embellishments all the time! I think it's definitely a case of having tooooo much! Time to weed things out! Good luck with your "purge" too!

[janet]

Oh. I can *so* relate..especially that undeniable urge to look into the drawer/ cupboard etc that has been so newly and beautifully organized. Perhaps I should be doing some purging and organizing now instead of becoming bottom heavy reading blogs ;)

[Mariah]

You are SO not a goofball! I do the same thing. After it's organized I admire it. Over and over! And my cupboard of plastic containers seems to have the same problem as your Rubbermaid stuff. I went through it just the other day and threw out all the odd lids and stuff, only to remember over the next few days that I was using some of the containers without lids to store other stuff in other areas of the house. So now I have MORE bottoms without tops!

[Glenda/MidSouth]

I can relate to this post - I am trying to clean out and reorganize some things now. A while back, a neighbor was moving and it was unreal the things she was throwing away. However, the one thing that got my attention was the huge container of lipsticks. I was much more organized when I worked full time. No - You are not a goofball - I do the same thing. :D
Enjoy your weekend.

[Carolyn Dietrich]

I too find that organizing relieves stress for me and I like to admire the results! So I don't think you're a goof ball at all!

[Elaine]

Aah, that silverware drawer, you use your pieces or they would all be wrapped in silver cloth - like mine. Your past post on round bowl soup spoons stirred sweet memories for me. Recently, at a goodwill store, randomly looking in the bins of kitchen stuff I found 6 round bowl soup spoons in my mom's silver plate pattern! 25 cents each! While 4 are wrapped :) two are waiting in a spooner.
Elaine

[Candy Marcase]

I totally understand.... when I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in 09, the first thing that came to my mind was, oh no, I have to organize and clean several places in the house so no one has to deal with it if I go! Well, thank goodness, I don't think I am going for awhile (whew) but I am continuing to organize several rooms that need it despirately! I am looking for several things as we speak that seem to have vanished into thin air!