Sunday, May 2, 2010

I'm messy, not a hoarder!

There's a long-standing joke in my family and it's on me.

First let me explain. I'm blessed with a great family. Two parents who have supported me in everything I've done in my life, including four moves in 10 years. Three sisters (I'm in the middle, hence the blog name) whom I'm lucky to consider friends as well as family. Three brothers-in-law who've been suckered into helping me with everything from hanging pictures to fixing my computer. And last, but not least, four of the cutest nephews in the world (and another nephew or niece on the way).

But with that close of a family comes a lot of joking, ribbing and inside jokes. It's long been known that I'm NOT the neatest person in the world! And that I'm a bargain shopper!

Exhibit A: My Kitchen Counter

In my defense, everything is organized in piles or in baskets! And that the Snack Sacks of Oreos were a $1 at the grocery store this week, so I had to stock up! However, I have to admit that there are items on that counter that have been there for quite awhile.

Like...
My grandma recently moved into a nursing home after spending 60-plus years in the farmhouse she moved into as a bride. Each grandchild had the chance to take home something from the house. I chose the Old Maid game that my sisters and I played with my grandma many a summer afternoon while my dad and grandpa were in the field or out in the barn. I really should put the box in my game closet but it makes me smile when I see the groovy disco dancer on the cover!

And...
The Disney World tickets for the family adventure my sisters and I are embarking on later this month. After months of research and discussion, buying the tickets through Undercovertourist.com was almost anti-climatic. Very simple form online and mailed within days. I have to admit that I'm afraid to put them away because I have a tendency to "put things away" and not remember where I put them!

And...

Pages and pages torn out of magazines that are supposed to help me get organized, get in shape, make better meals and read better books. I have the best of intentions! I tear them out so I don't have the magazines laying around and I even started a binder several years ago to organize them in sections.

Well, I admit sometimes my mess gets the best of me. Last Sunday as I was putting away a couple of weeks (OK, more like a month) worth of clean laundry away, I also had the TLC show Hoarders on for background noise.

As I moved from pile to pile of clean (I stress CLEAN) clothing, hanging them up or folding them away, I watched two women struggle to even walk inside their homes. Boy if that wasn't a motivator! Just for the record, I have NO cats so no worries about finding a "missing" one under any of the piles AND my refrigerator is clean - no rotting food, I promise.

Now, I will admit that I still have a few piles of clothes here and there AND my spare bedroom is still more of a closet that it should be BUT I have made strides this weekend to get myself organized.

If I choose to cook (which I normally don't), I can now use my kitchen counter to prep.

As I put away my clothing, I also sorted out some items that I no longer wear and will offer them to some friends and coworkers whom I swap clothing with from time to time.

AND I found a box of school supplies that I scored for free during the back-to-school sales last summer. This was great timing because a coworker is heading to Africa in a couple of weeks to visit her sister who's student teaching in a village with very few (OK, I don't think any) amenities. HB (my coworker) was telling us that she's taking a bag just of school supplies and food items for the schoolchildren.

So, I pulled out...
I love when I can use my savvy shopping skills and tendency to hold onto items for good, not evil! I'm glad that in a few short weeks some African children can be practicing their ABCs and 123s with these pens and pencils!

Now, maybe I should put together this organizer that I bought months ago at Ikea (I love Ikea).
On second thought, I'll just wait for one of my brothers-in-law to come over!

4 comments:

  1. I'm with ya, chickie!! BTW, kids are LOVING the Star Wars tent & trouble game. :)

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  2. I still love ya despite the messy house. Besides I always end up with free magazines, clothes, and all sorts of goodies when I come over. What's not to love!

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  3. This is a great post. I love it because I have fond memories of games I played with my grandma and grandpa as a kid too. Also, thanks for the school supplies! They will come in handy. My sister says thanks too!

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  4. A fellow messy! Hooray for the messy team!

    I love that you chose a childhood game. I chose a childhood game myself when my grandma gave me a choice under similar circumstances :)

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