Recently, a lady called me three times because she couldn’t get a door in our complex to open (and apparently it was essential that she get her suitcases into her storage unit that hour). As the manager, I went upstairs to see if I could use my natural finesse to open the door. (Yeah right. I have no natural finesse.) No matter how I tried, the key would not turn the last quarter of an inch.
My brain is exactly like a key in a lock that won’t turn all the way. I am spacey. I try so hard to stay organized and keep life simple mainly as a means of survival.
Case in point:
- I once locked the keys in the car while it was running. In fact, in high school, I locked the keys in the car so much that my dad installed a magnetic key holder under the car.
- I’m so paranoid about missing another bill that I fairly regularly have credits because I’ve double paid.
- I struggle at Costco. If I manage to remember to pay with the the right card before they kick me out of line, I throw the receipt into the trash before I get to those checker people at the exit.
- I recently took borrowed books on two separate mini-vacations. Both times the borrowed book did not make it home with me. You’d think I would have learned that lesson after the first trip! Nope! (And you may want to think twice before lending me something.)
To help motivate me to stay on top of mail and paperwork (which, as a general rule, I despise), I picked this up the other day at HomeGoods. Hopefully having a pretty place to store obnoxious papers will negate some of my displeasure at dealing with them.
I have no grand point in sharing this with you. No end-all epiphany that will make you accept your own character flaws while I try to accept mine. I’m not perfect. No one is. I lose books, leave keys in the door, and send my kid to preschool with a band-aid for Show & Tell because it was the first thing I saw in the trunk of my car.
But I’ll keep trying. With a little luck, a lot of practice, and more than a few prayers, maybe I’ll get that key in my brain to turn the last quarter of an inch by the time I’m 60. If not, I’ll just make it a rule not to take borrowed books on vacations.
This weekend (from Friday-Tuesday) we babysat my niece and nephews at their house, and I forgot to turn off the oven before I left. Five whole days of my oven turned to 375. I am so lucky I didn't burn down our apartment! And the night we came home, while carrying our stuff in, I put our laptop on top of the car, and then left it there. All night. In the rain. (Luckily it was in a case, so I hope there's no permanent damage!)
So I totally get the spacey factor. It has definitely gotten worse since I had Bria, but I'm always trying to find new ways to get myself to focus and keep things simple and orderly.
Haha. I loved this. How refreshing to know other moms who don't have it together all of the time. I surely don't and sometimes I feel like I'm just in survival mode instead of enjoying the moments. I think finding ways to stay organized is a great idea. I'm going to work on a couple of areas in my life that could use some organization. Thanks! 🙂
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I would totally do that. I regularly leave the iron on while we're at church. The only thing that saves me is the fact that it turns off on its own eventually. If only every single appliance in the world had that feature! Yes, my simplification efforts are born of necessity too. 🙂
I only have it together about half the time! Most days I start out enjoying and end up surviving! haha Miss you!
Paper is my enemy right now. Since Hayden started Kindergarten, it just keeps multiplying! AND I even get most of my bills via email. I broke down and bought some of those plastic storage drawers last week to help keep the papers, random office supplies, homework, and mail organized; and even though it looks really tacky on my kitchen counter it makes me happy to have it under control (mostly).
Ha ha, you are so cute! I love this :0)
My favorite is the band aid part. What kid doesn't think band aids are the awesomest thing ever?!?
Don't we all do crazy things…loving the band aid for show and tell – you were just encouraging creativity in your children!! Happy Friday ~
Erica,
I leave things all over the place! One of my biggest problems is when people leave dishes at my house. For some reason they disappear into a black hole. In fact, I am so bad at getting them back, that when I host a family dinner such as Thanksgiving, I do not let anyone leave the house unless they have their dish that they brought. I will run out to their car as they are pulling out of the driveway to hand them their dish because I know that may be the last time it is seen if I don't!
-Shelley
Returning things (dishes included!) is not one of my strong points either, Shelley! Good to hear from you!
Love this! So very true
WISH i had that problem of paying bills twice. that would be heaps nicer than late fines. 🙂
also. ADORE that bill organizer. too cute for words.
xo
Don’t know if I’ve mentioned lately how much I am LOVING your new blog! You are an amazing woman! I love your tips on organization, but I also love how real you are! The taking a band-aid to show and tell is hilarious! Paper is also my enemy. I have to figure out a good way to keep them consistently organized rather than doing our once a year filing with 10 gazillion papers!
Thank you, girl! You’re so sweet! I come back to your blog over and over again because YOU are real! And yes, paper stinks!!