I was doing my part to uphold the family reputation.

Background: Our government has this initiative about energy conservation. You can pay a nice inspector-type person to visit your home and analyze the energy use in it. They check all the windows and doors to see where you’re losing energy, check your heat vents and measure (somehow) how much heat your home loses and how it is lost. They go everywhere, from the attic to the basement. Then they give you some sort of document indicating their findings and making suggestions as to what you can do to make your home more energy-efficient.

If you decide to make some or all of the changes, you make them, then invite your inspector person back to measure those values again. If you’ve done a good job of fixing things and your energy use is decreased to an acceptable level as a result of those changes, the government will give you some sort of rebate, a very piddling amount though. The real benefit is in the years to come, when your heating bill is slashed because you’re no longer losing heat from that door leading to the garage, or out of Jummy’s bedroom window as is currently the case.

My father told me about this upcoming visit a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t think that this person had to actually enter my room. When I realized that he’d need a path to my heating vent, shame filled me and I decided that I should at least make my room navigable. I’m a realist: I recognize that my room will never be presentable because part of being presentable is having a place for everything and that simply is not the case in my room. I have too many things that are in stacks and stacks of boxes, mostly my crafting stuff, kitchen stuff (even though I have never lived away from home and therefore never needed to have my own kitchen stuff), excess clothing, textbooks and notes from university, and every birthday card that I have ever received in my life. My goals were to create a path to my vent, make my room look less like a storehouse, and make some final decisions on things I don’t need but am constantly tripping on. I accomplished all these goals and managed to get rid of two garbage bags of clothing, and one of actual garbage in the process.

My room is far from decluttered, but it’s noticeably neater and lighter. Check out this sexy floor space:

Don’t be shy, come a little closer:

(And yes, there’s even more space that wasn’t photographed!)

It may not look like much but there is enough space for me to roll around the floor of my room in true tantrum form if I feel my inner seven year old coming to the surface. I now have enough room beside my bed to set up my exercise mat and do crunches (well, once I find the mat). My mother can run into my room with exciting news without worry of ending up on crutches. My father’s pained looks can be retired, and I can once again leave the door to my room open, daring the nosiest of guests to peek in.

And that is why I was up so late. Unearthing this space took a number of hours and even though the inspector fellow was only in there for 30 seconds, not feeling that anxiety I usually feel when someone other than family enters my room made the loss of sleep completely worth it.

Other things that fall by the wayside due to not starting early enough are:

• baking and giving away cookies and other baked goods
• inviting friends over; general socializing (with us being the hosts)
• collaborations between family members to get gifts that other family members really want (i.e. the kids pooling their money to get a gift for the parents, the girls getting a joint gift for the boys, etc)—we can’t seem to get organized at the same time

The end result is Christmas ends up passing in a blur without really giving us an opportunity to enjoy the season and each other…or those delicious cookies! Since other people who are just as busy (if not more so) manage to make the Christmas season last more than a few days, I am committed to doing the same.

I believe it was while reading Laura’s blog last year that the idea of using spreadsheets to organize Christmas came up. I started using one at the end of last year, with the hope that it would better prepare me for this Christmas. This year, I’ve brought out my spreadsheet and the first thing I noticed is it’s not well organized, so that has been fixed. I’ve also updated it for this year, adding names to the Christmas list and adding gift ideas for those people I’ve already decided on a gift for. I’m looking forward to enjoying Christmas for more than a week this year.

That’s going to change though, because I’m getting organized (yes, again).  I’m also working on my health, all with the goal of being hale, hearty, organized, and therefore perfect.

However, if you’d like to see what I’ve been babbling about on the other blogs, check out the following:

On Life Tips Daily:
Keeping track of passwords
Who needs frenemies?
Forgive for your own sake

On Getting Crafty:
Tutorial:  make a beaded ring or bracelet
What can you do with alphabet beads?
Making a disposable wallet

If you have a hankering to help me out, I’d really appreciate it if you could send me (or leave a comment) about anything you come across relating to either topic.  My brain capacity is only so large and between remembering my grade 10 jazz dance routine and the theme song for Fresh Prince of Belair, I don’t have that much room left over for other things.

[Did anyone notice that I'm not WurdyGurdy-ing like I used to? Well my little break is over, starting with this entry.  It's a new month and I owe you announcement of May's winner.  Even if nobody participates, the WG benefited me because I actually got to learn a new word each day.]

I’m your pressure cooker organizer.  I don’t say enough (yeah, right) how much of a disaster my bedroom is.  Yesterday I told my sister not to come any further into my room because I had a genuine fear that she would break her ankle, fall and be suffocated by one of several garbage bags full of clothing that I’m working on donating (because, you know, there is this lengthy process–pack up the clothes, call for them to be picked up or drop them off–that is holding me up).  And quite frankly, although my sister drives me to mutter “I hate my family” under my breath several times a day, her death at my hands is not something I’ve ever seriously considered.

…

…

I can’t seem to get organized unless it’s the absolute last minute.  Much like when I was a student and all vital studying was left until the last day(s), the only accurate predictor of when I will get myself sorted out is how many seconds I have until I have to be, or suffer the consequences (social embarassment, shame, the label “you’re disgusting!”).  If, for example, I made the mistake of inviting a dear friend over and for whatever reason we would have to spend time in my room, you can only imagine the panicked horror that results in the wild flinging of papers scribbled with my hieroglyphics on web design or life tips quotes, photo albums, bills and other documents that I need to file, all attempted within 30 minutes of the arrival of my friend.  It’s truly horrible and I hate the feeling, yet I continue to put myself in these situations.

Earlier this week, I found out that we will be having houseguests staying with us for three months (they’re family!).  Our dear guests will be here in less than two weeks.  My mother’s only request is that I make my room presentable (please, hold in your vomit:  yes, I am almost 28 and yes, my room looks like the cluttered mess of a seven year old or a moldy old miser).  I told her that it won’t matter, that the eyesore that is my room will not reflect badly on anyone else in the house except me.

While I do believe this is true (she doesn’t), and while I claimed not to care what they think of my room (or me) after seeing it, my first instinct was to buy a padlock for the room and keep it locked when I’m not at home.

That in itself is telling.

There were so many things that I was supposed to do today:

• do some banking for a friend who still has a bank account here despite moving back across the border
• picked up my liberry books, including the much needed ‘Photoshop CS2 for those who are Dumber than Dumb’ book
• bought more of my Bistro tv dinners because they were on sale
• get my hair washed and set for tomorrow’s meeting so that my hair looks good
• picked up something businesslike for the meeting or done some laundry.

I did manage to do two important things on my mental to do list:  I mailed the prize to the first winner of the WG and I completed most of the article that I had to write for the online magazine that I contribute to.  While I would normally love the challenge of writing an informative article with minimal background information, this is one time where I wouldn’t have minded if my contribution this month had been an easily forgettable squib in the magazine.  The editor is so positive though so maybe I haven’t done such a bad job on the article.

Following this entry, I will try to see if I can make this hair:

look something like its former glory [which I was unable to capture so you will have to take my word for it].

Then I will look for an outfit that isn’t all black (I pull the funeral look too often), or wrinkled or too casual.  And I will also look for a top that is dressy for the dinner portion of the day.  And only then will I fall into bed and pray that I wake up no later than 6:45am or else all will be lost and I will be late and mortified to boot.

In good news on the accomplishment front, the bridesmaids dresses are ordered, which means my wedding duties are over for a couple of months.  I wonder if I look as out of proportion as I am when measured:  based on my bust, waist and hip measurements, I would need two different tops to be taken apart and attached together, and a separate size in a skirt.  Instead, I bought the top to fit my bust and will now have to do 200 crunches a night until June 15 and invest in a heavy duty girdle so that friends are not tempted to ask if I’m expecting.  The good news is that I’m ordering the same size of dress as I did two years ago, from the same designer, so at least my girth hasn’t increased appreciably. 

*

It is my desire to move out of the family home soon, into a (town)house of my own and become a responsible mortgage paying individual within the next two years.  I’m not sure if I’m ready for the extreme amounts of responsibility that this will entail but I think by age 29 or 30, ready or not, I should make the leap.  As I’ve said earlier, the idea of renting seems like a waste to me so buying is my only viable solution.  Some of my friends have suggested that my extremely thrifty (and two years younger) sister might be a prime roommate but every day she reminds me why I have sworn not to live with her if I don’t have to. 

I currently share a bathroom with  her (and the occasional brother) and she leaves all her clothing everywhere.  The bathroom door barely stays open due to the sheer quantity of clothing hanging behind the door on hooks.  Some of her less privileged clothing adorns the floor and I hate stepping on dirty clothing on my way to the shower.  I’m convinced that these piles of dirty clothing will be the breeding ground for the next outbreak of pestilence, and our house will have to be quarantined or something.  She also has this habit of bringing her new clothing to the bathroom to try on, and if she decides she’s purchased an article of clothing she’s going to keep, she will remove its price tag and leave it (the tag) on the counter and right now a hanger is also on our counter.  And both will remain there until I move them.  I wonder how she manages to brush her hair since at least half of the length of the bristles are intertwined with her hair.  I don’t know why this bothers me so (other than the fact that I’m an interfering witch) but I find myself picking out the hairs periodically and it makes me feel so much better. Today’s act of sanity preservation was the gathering of all her clothing and putting them into her empty hamper, and then opening the door as wide as it could go.  I think I got a rush of endorphins from it.

And imagine this:  she never thanks me, or even comments on these little tasks I do for her.  Do you think she’s realized that other than being the cause of my discontent she has nothing to do with why I do these things? 

To those of you with spouses:  how do/did/are you get(ting) used to a mate whose ideas on organization or cleanliness differ from yours?

*an assortment of ill fitting clothing, none of which are particularly spectacular or fetching on me

*magazines, my glossy addiction

*receipts, due to my attention to my expenditures and proper accounting of such matters

*empty water bottles, because I am too lazy to go upstairs every time I want a drink of water.  As a result I buy bottles of water that are easily accessible.  And then I am too lazy to toss them in the recycling box so they accumulate.

*library books

*scrapbooking paraphernalia.  My stash used to double exponentially but has now slowed down to only an occasional acquisition.  In light of my new plans to save money like it’s a requirement to entering heaven, I’ve decided that I shouldn’t be spending money buying things that I haven’t yet used.  So if this means that I miss out on a fabulous item, then I deal with it.

*plastic shopping bags because I’m a bag lady at heart

What’s taking over your house/room/office?

The rod that my clothing hangs from has been drooping for the past eight years and it’s only a matter of time before I find myself dealing with a massive cleanup.  I just hope that it lasts two or three more years, before I move the contents of the closet to a walk in closet [!!!] in my own place.

As I gaze at my mounds of clothing, the majority of them casual, the following list begged to be made.

Things I will not buy for the next 6 months to a year:
-jeans
-black dress pants [unless my current ones start looking ratty]
-sweaters
-cardigans with large snap buttons
-cotton pants that are too casual looking
-zip up hoodies

This other list didn’t beg to be made and my bank account actually groaned as I typed it up.

Things my wardrobe is definitely in need of:
-blouses [any colour or pattern will do; preferably 3/4 to long sleeved]
-mid-calf length skirt [in fashion or not, they are the only ones that flatter me]
-dressy tops that aren’t clingy materialwise
-dressy pants that are not black
-the perfect all occasion shoe with a heel

Back to house talk now.  I met a girl last night who bought her own three bedroom townhouse in Farrhaven this past October.  The house will be ready in June.  She bought it as a single girl too so it was refreshing to talk to someone who is in a similar situation as I and who is setting up house [most of my friends who have bought a house in the last two years have bought it as a couple].

Of course I know the better a downpayment you can put down, the better things are, but she explained why putting down 25% of the house’s cost is great [something about insurance] so now I’d like to save up at least that much and any extra, well we all know where that would go [lawyer fees, inspections, furniture, appliances, really there is no such thing as "extra" in the house buying business]. 

2007 may very well be the year of [financial] responsibility.

On my precious spreadsheet, I’ve indicated who I sent cards to this year (along with their mailing address) and made some notes, such as whose birthday is also on Christmas day.  I’ve also made a page for Christmas gifts, namely what I gave who so that I can avoid duplication.  It’s thrilling to be somewhat organized!

I bought a lot of Christmas things for decorating, and even more things for card making that I didn’t use at all.  I’m now in the midst of packing them away until next year and trying to make a mental note of what I have so that I avoid buying even more.  One great dollar store find that I used several times [and that I'm glad I stocked up on] is large cellophane bags, some plain, some with Christmas designs, which are perfect for homemade basket gifts.  Last year I made a movie pack for my friends and they loved it so much that they are giving that gift to at least one person on their list [for New Year's].  The themed basket idea is so versatile that you can use it for any occasion; it just takes some time to collect the needed items.

So even though there are approximately 360 days until next Christmas, I’m already doing my part to make it the most organized Christmas yet. 

They’ve added some new features such as, when you’re responding to a group email and someone sends in a reply while you’re writing yours, you can click on it and read it right away and update your reply if necessary.  And you can forward all the emails in the conversation, instead of individually [what is a conversation, you ask?  I'm not talking about chatting: the neatest thing about gmail is that emails are stored as conversations.  This feature alone has spoiled me for the way other email programs store emails]. 

Let me paint you a picture:  you and your friend exchange 26 emails (13 each) about where to have dinner on Friday night.  You’re coming close to your inbox’s limit [a foreign concept once you're a gmailer], so you want to delete all those emails.  But first you have to find them, interspersed as they are with emails from the guys you’re talking to on the dating site you’ve joined, your coworkers who you send those annoying email forwards to this non-work address, other friends, your parents, etc.  Think of the time you’ll spend seeking out each of the 13 emails you received, clicking on it and then selecting ‘delete’.  I just have to find the conversation [all 26 emails have been stored diligently, one after the other as one email set], select it and click delete.  Done!

Get gmail. [No, I don't work for them!]