Years ago I saw one of those painted wood plaques that read: An Immaculate House is a Sign of a Dull Woman.  Never before has a woman ever so totally embraced a new mantra.  I was determined to make it my life goal…to never be a dull woman.  If you have been to my home, you know that it is just tidy enough…most of the time.  I have relinquished control of cleaning up after every one else.  I have other things to do.  The result is sometimes embarrassing.

Periodically, I get the urge to clean.  Sometimes out of necessity, other times because I feel like it.  Today was one of those days.  I needed to take a grocery inventory.  I opened up my "big" cupboard to empty partially opened cases of staples onto the shelves.  But I couldn't just do it…things had definitely gotten out of hand.  Nothing was really in order and I needed to rotate things…do a little purging.  There were little baggies of leftover graham crackers from camp-outs, empty boxes (I don't know how to teach the "men" to get rid of the exterior packaging when they take out the last packet of something!), small things that had gotten pushed to the back that needed to be brought forward…you know, messy cupboards.  So today, I tackled the big food cupboard…not to be confused with the outside storage. 

There is no "before", but here is the "after." 

The kitchen cupboard is just scratching the surface of my lack of commitment to being organized.  I'll have to admit that looking at my canned goods, neatly lined up in order of the contents is truly a wonderful sight.  For one thing, I am grateful for the contents of the cupboard.  Having ample food is something that I feel truly blessed with.  If I get sick, I don't have to worry about going to the store – anything we don't have, we can make do or do without.  It was one of those "pat yourself on the back" moments. 

It's not that I have no organizational skills, but I am always in a hurry and things don't get put right away after being used.  So they get set – or pushed - to the side.  No room in my house is a better example of this than my scrapbook/workroom.  I am determined, although I might relapse, to clean and purge my scrapbook room.  I am going to keep a journal, an online one, of my progress, my regress and my persistance.  It will not be a quick process, but I am very busy and have to cut myself some slack.  I know that if I commit to do this, I can achieve a tidy workroom.  If I can be creative in this chaos, who knows what I could do with an orderly space. 

I have heard that it is always better to write down your goals.  It makes it more tangible than a thought in your head.  As in the words of the Pharoh (Yule Brenner) in "The Ten Commandments"…"So let it be written, so let it be done." 

 

 
 The blue chair is new – isn't it cute?  Only $3 at a garage sale!  It is, however, blocking the pathway into my room. 

I will keep track of my progress, one station at a time!  Are we having fun yet?  Aren't you glad this isn't YOUR project?  I feel so like a HOARDER!!!  Wait…I AM A HOARDER!!!