Messy Me

I'm messy. That's not an apology. I don't feel it is my fault. Entirely. Yes, I make the mess, yes I have trouble throwing things away. I make piles. And piles and piles! I lose things. Why is this not my fault? Well, when my son came along, he started to show signs of neatness. In inherent orderliness that he positively did not get from me. Weird! So it is my conclusion that orderliness and disorderliness, at least to some degree, in inborn. Therefore and thus, I can't help it! Though I do try. In fact it is a struggle for me day after day after mess-filled day. I hate it. But while I'm cleaning and organizing one area, another is getting messier. Shoot. My kind peers say it is because I have children. Really, what's that got to do with it? Do they encourage me to pile random pieces of paper and mail around the house? It's all me. So...what's my point? I guess just to say that. I know this about myself. It's upsetting when we plan to have people over. Then I need to crisis clean and organize, and that's not fun. It's upsetting when hubby complains about the house. That sucks. But is it that I never do any housework or organizing? Quite the contrary! I feel that I never stop! So how come nothing seems to change? I don't know! I guess I really need to purge. For example, when I ask my kids to clean up the playroom and they can't -( and I really mean they can't. They become paralyzed, as I do, but the task awaiting them, as I do, they try. They pick up a couple of things, then do something else. I understand that! I can't expect them to do more than they understand and can make sense of. DING! There's my lightbulb flashing so bright it makes a sound. Hello????!!!! REDUCE. Make it doable by taking away the vastness of the task. OK! SO! That's the place to start. Phew. So! As I like lists, I shall make a list for myself. Every month for the new year, I will add a task. While attempting to continue the task of the former month. Wow. Ok. So, task one, make a list of tasks!

I want to add something quickly here. I think people SHOULD make a mess. I think we should clean it up afterwards, but it's FUN to make a mess, and really, what harm is done? So GET MESSY! Then clean it up. Do it! ;)

My month-by-month REDUCE plan for 2010!

1. Get rid of all reading material that is not currently loved.
2. Kitchen purge #1 Get rid of all cooking items that aren't currently being used (pots/pans/small appliances).
3. Linen purge
4. Kitchen purge #2 Glass purge
5. kitchen purge #3 mugs and silverware
6. Cabinet cleansing (I'll pick a really messy one when the time comes)
7. CDs and videos
8. One-a-day plan (get one unused item OUT of the house per day, all month)
9. Clothes
10. Cabinet cleansing #2
11. Toys
12. One-a-day plan

So there it is. I'll post each month with the task of the month, and with the green task for the month. Let's see if I can do this!