Organizing a Disorganized Life

Well my project at organization started with good intentions as a New Year's Resolution. You know, the kind we all make realizing that it may not last but knowing that something needs to be done. This one of mine started as a hope, a wish, and a dream I guess. I was tired of looking at the room I call my office and seeing piles of papers, books and notes all over the place. I mean all over the place - the desk top, the little wooden chest, the top of the bookcase, the printer stand and so on. I was tired of trying to find things in those piles and breaking out into a cold sweat when I couldn't find a critical item. So certainly my intentions were good and needed. What I didn't realize was how interrelated everything in my life seems to be. I found that papers are related to other projects and other projects are related to other things not just the papers themselves. Organizing is related to things, places, people and my life. But I didn't realize much of this before I started putting the piles of paper into new piles, folders, drawers, and boxes or compartments.

My organizing efforts have taken over a good part of my life recently. It's part of why I haven't been writing much. The piles of paper led me to more papers sitting in unorganized but full file drawers. Finding that mess led to a need for researching filing methods which led to the need for specific supplies which led to a new pile of material to be shredded. Although I've been somewhat successful on the file front (categorized and color coded), the beginning project has led to more and bigger aspects relative to organizing my life and my space.

Generally, all of this is good. It clears space and makes room and it's helpful to me in terms of finding things (I think). I'm also hoping that it will help my family and partner when the inevitable happens and I'm no longer around to help find all of these critical and some non critical things.

There are some lessons I've discovered in the realm of one thing leading to another. First, there are drawers and cabinets that most likely exist in everyone's home that have just become places to put things, commonly referred to as "junk drawers". Most of the time these are just other places that need organizing. I found more papers in some of these drawers but also many more types of disorganized things. So the drawers and cabinets became new priorities. Tools, bulbs, can openers, rubber bands, etc. all screamed out for a better home, and many of the places they went needed some level of organization.

This also led to some more and different discoveries. There were pictures, videos and cd's. Some in a drawer, others in boxes and a mixed up pile in an old suitcase that came from my father's house after he passed away. This led to a new project - digitizing and organizing pictures on my computer. This was in addition to the pictures already on the computer. So, a new project and more time. But it continues and it seems to be worth it even if it is hard. Ah yes, some of these projects turn out to be ongoing.

Some place along the way my writer friend Jack, suggested that I should think about publishing a book based on some of my writing. This intrigued me but led to all sorts of research into self publishing methods. In that process I found a great software product that authors and writers use to organize their work. Just what I need, another organizing project. But in the end, this project has been useful too. It has helped me Identify the quantity of my writing as well as the need to get it in some sort of order. It has also helped me put it into a format where it can be filed and stored and that in itself is a huge accomplishment.

So my organizing continues. I've decided I probably need a new shredder since mine keeps overheating. I've put critical papers in a fire proof and lockable file box. I've created a work space in the office area and when things come in the mail that need filing I've got a pretty good idea where they go. I'm not totally sure I can find everything I need but perhaps with time I can create some organized piles on my clean work space. We'll see.