Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Organization 101.....my way...

Years ago....maybe 1983, I stumbled upon a book titled  "Sidetracked Home Executives" written by Pam Young and Peggy Jones. (btw...if you're familiar with "Flylady" on the internet, she was sort of a spin-off from them, with their blessings of course.)



These two sisters had me laughing my way through this book. I read it and enjoyed it, but as I recall I didn't really implement any of their changes and certainly not the 3x5 box and cards. Jump to mid 1990's, I had 4 kids that didn't pick up after themselves, a husband that was always at work or traveling, and one big messy house!

By the 90's the "Slob Sisters" as they came to be known, had moved into the internet world as had I. I found there site online, met other S.H.E.'s and made my fist card box. It was just a plain old black speckled, plastic index card box, but I had ordered their system with nice printed cards and I was on a roll!  Mind you, my house was never terribly out of control, nor was it dirty...but the kids left there stuff everywhere all the time just assuming I would pick it up, and I was terribly unorganized!

So I got organized one drawer at a time as my worst weakness is drawer shoving, (actually any storage space I can shove something into will do) I think I have 6 junk drawers in my kitchen even now. All that means is when I don't know where to put something I shove it in a drawer ( or cabinet or closet...).  Hence the reason I'm writing about this....

I digress...sorry, enter the "Infractions Game"! Oh, this did the trick! I gave each of the kids a sheet of those little round florescent stickers with instructions to stick them on anyone's stuff that they found laying around, and then go write it on a list I hung on the frig.  Infractions cost you money. I don't recall the amount now but it seems it was .05 cents.   At the end of the week, we added up the amounts owed, everyone paid and the person with the least infractions got all the money. If you were really messy it ended up taking much of your allowance for the week, so it didn't take long until none of their things were laying around, nor mine ( I was included in the stickerfest).  The game had worked to make everyone accountable for their things. I was relieved, had a lot less work and we had a tidy home finally.

A few years ago I made up a new box....



It looked good...but really I missed a lot of the pre-printed cards. It sits on a little ledge in my kitchen...sits there looking pretty sort of like a "decoration"....:-/ but that's about it.  I'm the type of person that needs mental stimulation to get me going, similar to how reading everyone's blog does for me.  They inspire me to get things done!


Enter a blog I found the other day that is selling this exact idea, only cuter than I have ever seen nor have been able to do myself!  The site is called  Spring Clean, Year Round , I also have the blog listed in my blog roll.  If you want to see these cute organization boxes, you'll have to go to her blog because I didn't get permission to show any of her work here.


I ordered one of their creations today and am VERY excited to receive it! And no, I didn't really need a new box but she does the chore cards up so cute I'm sure to want to clean something...right? ;)


I'll keep you posted after it arrives and I try to implement some changes around here!












10 comments:

  1. Haha! I think there are alot of us that are exactly the same with kids and clutter! I have to add my wonderful husband to that list though. I moved into his home of 16 years... junk drawers?? Pretty much every drawer and cabinet in the kitchen! Oh the things I found! Afro halloween wigs where the cereal is supposed to go, Christmas hats with antlers and lights in another cabinet. I could go on and on. I've tamed the beast in him though. Now it's all confined to the garage! ;) Now the office... that's a whole other story!
    Hugs, Amber

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  2. Yes Amber, just like that! I don't have an Afro Halloween wig where the cereal goes, but you'll find a really nice farberware peculator (the younger generation doesn't even know what this is) shoved in there along with a bunch of take out menus that have fallen down below from the cabinet drawer above, not to mention the plastic grocery bags that I just shove under there!

    Good for you for taming the beast, nice to know I have a kindred spirit out there! My husband is actually almost OCD clean/organized...so the beast that needs taming is me. Funny you mention the office, that's the project I'm working on now.

    I saw in my google reader briefly that your Boutique went well. I'm about to hop on over to your blog to catch up on that!
    Good to see you!
    Sheree

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  3. Hi Sheree
    Thank you so much for stopping by the Back Porch. I've enjoyed seeing your beautiful blog.

    I clicked to follow. Thanks so much for adding Back Porch Musings to your follow list.

    We do live in the same area. We are in Lincoln County. Thank you for the Panera link.

    Pat@Back Porch Musings

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  4. Thanks for stopping by Pat! So nice to find a local blog, and one with such wonderful photography as well!

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  5. You are so stinkin' organized, amazing! Love your updated patio BTW.

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  6. Don't I wish!! I've battled un-organization (sidetracked-ness) for as long as I can remember. A little ADD here I think, so systems are what I always seem to need since I appear to be lacking the required self discipline to pull it off alone!
    Thanks for stopping by Anti-Supermom! I really enjoyed reading at your blog, (especially about your stuck arm, that one cracked me up!) and I look forward to your future entries. :)
    Sheree

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  7. You have one beautiful site! Lovely! I want to be just like you when I grow up (I'm 34 btw -- late bloomer). I'm very undomestic, so I'm definitely adding you to my reader in hopes of inspiring me. At the very least I'll link to you when I do link love posts. I read your About Me page and we're into the same things, too. Loved "The Secret" and the Seth books (old school! but the BEST in my opinion). I'm going to have to check out the others you mentioned. Look forward to reading your blog!

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  8. Hi Erin! The Seth books are my go to guide, the ones that have always made the most sense and resonated with me. It's very nice to meet you and I'm so glad our paths have crossed! :)

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  9. I totally (accidentally) stole this book from the library!

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  10. No way! LOL!
    And did you read it? It's very dated but I still lol when I read it!

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