I spent a good chunk of time today, alphabetizing my CDs and putting them on the shelf. Yeah, sounds like a rip-roaring good time, doesn’t it? Don’t you wish I would invite y’all over to organize stuff with me? The CDs had been in various boxes for the past year – we originally packed them up when we had the house up for sale last year, and then once construction started, we left those boxes in the basement. We’re gradually getting our life back to normal.
I have always liked to have my CDs in alpha order, and this is just one of those things that I’m sure drives my husband absolutely batty. With my system, you cannot just put a CD back in any-old-place. You have to find its proper spot within the alphabet. My system is this – first, CDs by artists/bands in alpha order. Second, soundtracks in alphabetical order. Finally, all holiday CDs at the end.
Now, I’m totally weird. I have a bazillion Counting Crows CDs, but I’ve just lumped them together – I don’t have them categorized by release date or anything too obnoxious.
But, Hubby still likes to laugh at me.
My organizing tendencies aren’t as obnoxious or as obvious as you would think, though. We’ve been together ten years, and Hubby JUST realized a few weeks ago that my clothes are hanging by color, and overall, they are in rainbow order (followed by white, black, brown, and grey… which, you know, aren’t in the rainbow). I have made my various subrules – like the color pink is sandwiched between red and orange, because pink is a derivative of red. Likewise, periwinkle is between blue and purple, because, visually… it IS between blue and purple.
Hubby thinks this is totally nuts.
HOWEVER, I never struggle to find clothes in my closet. If I need a short sleeve green t-shirt, I know it will be next to my long sleeve green pullovers (And yes, before you ask, within each color, there is a system… Left to right: long sleeve sweatery type shirts, long sleeve shirts, short sleeve, sleeveless. Pants and skirts are on a separate shelf – they too are organized by color).
Hubby thinks my system must take an insane amount of time to maintain, but really, it doesn’t. Once I have it in MY order, putting things away is so easy – because everything has a proper home.
So, please, tell me something about yourself that will make me feel like I’m not really that nuts.
About sarah
Isn’t he an accountant? He should totally understand!
I’ve relaxed a lot with kids. I’m hyper-organized with my work and with my homeschool stuff, but the rest I’m learning to let go of. (deep breath – LoL!)
But, I will share that I was hooked on those cheesy romance books when I was in high school, and I alphabetized them. My mom thought I was insane – I mean, really, who alphabetizes ROMANCE books! 🙂
When I had a real closet and fun clothes, my system looked a lot like yours. I’m also totally picky with organizing my groceries – on the belt and in the sacks. My husband will do dishes, but only if I promise not to be around watching when he does. If I would hang around, I’d spend all my time telling him how to stack them, which ones to wash first, and how to go about washing each piece. I guess, despite my tendencies to be slob-like and lazy at times, I really am compulsive in my organization. It just feels good, you know?
Yeah, he’s a CPA, but he’s not as wound up as accountants are stereotyped to be. I have my share of things I “let go” (my tupperware cabinet? It’s a mess – you open the cupboard door and everything falls out). I just have certain things that have to look… nice.
When I actually organize my closet, I have a system. It goes tank tops, sleeveless, t shirts, short sleeved polo shirts, short sleeved nice shirts that aren’t t shirts, long sleeved t shirts, long sleeved polo shirts, long sleeved nice shirts, button down shirts, button down flannel, jackets/hoodies. And within each of those it goes light to dark, starting with white and going to black.
At least your system makes sense. Mine is just weird.
um… does the fact that i pretty much don’t have anything organized beyond the linen closet (organized is a loose term here) utensil drawer, and cabinet for dishes make you feel any better?
i feel like i live in a land of chaos, but the sheer attempt to start organizing intimidates me.
i would MUCH rather have organization come naturally…