I'm turning into my mother (OCD organized)

Kiwibird · Jul 25, 2014

When I was growing up, I remember always being so highly annoyed when my mom would stand in as the family drill sergeant of cleaning and being organized. My parents house is perpetually spotless, and it alway used to drive me absolutely INSANE. Fast forward, and the older I get, the more I notice I AM TURNING INTO MY MOM. A stray sock on the floor NEAR the hamper? MUST GO IN HAMPER IMMEDIATELY! A small spot/smudge on the mirror? MUST CLEAN ENTIRE MIRROR! A tiny piece of paper on the floor? TIME TO FREAK OUT!

We always joked she had some kind of OCD, but maybe she actually does and passed on the gene to me:52: I actually wouldn't be surprised if I genuinely had some form of OCD with all my crazy aversions and anxiety. Anyways, while I have pretty much always kept a home management binder and always used the envelope system for budgeting money, I decided that my old "bare bones basics" were kind of old, held together by duct tape and luck, and while in my most favorite (and place of least self control:54

type of store the other day (i.e. the office supply store:32

, I kind of picked up some new things on sale for back to school (or people on the edge of totally insane making the plunge to totally insane

). I think what I've done so far would make my mom proud (we'll see, I'm going to be sending her some pictures

)! I also LOVE LOVE LOVE discussing organization (and assume some of you out there may too) so hopefully you can get some tips and FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR OWN ORGANIZING TIPS/PHOTOS OF HOW YOU ORGANIZE. I'D LOVE TO SEE THEM
Photos to be posted in second post...

Kiwibird · Jul 25, 2014

Since my husband has completely taken over our desk, I have been banished to coin my work on the couch, using the coffee table as a desk

So, I bought myself a nice set of office supplies (nicer than the ones on our actual desk!) and set up a little organizer (from Ross) to keep things all in one place and easy to find rather than having the coffee table turn into a cluster you-know-what of chaos and disorder:

I have always used an index card file for our budget, but I found this slightly larger filer, perfect for holding actual envelopes and not having our money all folded up and crammed in! I blurred out the amounts, but I am a meticulous budgeter. I break it down not only by how much we need a month, but by how much cash out of each paycheck down to how many of each denomination. I also always look at savings as a set expense and any budgeted money we do NOT spend in a "pay period", I put in a "frugality savings" envelope and any coins, in a jar. It adds up fast, and we can either use it for totally frivolous items without eating into our budget or real savings OR just stick it in savings

My new home management binder! Absolutely LOVE the pink, and I designed the cover with our last initial. Also have my own personal little box with tape, batteries and extra pens/markers, since all the ones in the kitchen drawer always seem to be missing when I need them...

It is so pretty inside! Yay!

Just a preview of my other crazy project I'm working on...the pantry organization project (well, just to be clear, it's more of a bookshelf than a large pantry, but I still find detailed lists fun to make!

Last but not least, for anyone out there who is an "organizer" YOU MUST GET ONE OF THESE! Seriously the coolest on-the-go thing ever! They are made for holding index cards, but I personally am going to use this to hold shopping lists and some fancied-up index cards with information I like to keep on me. It's rigid enough it makes a perfect holder for a shopping list so you can cross things off easily as you walk around the store, and it won't get crumpled in your purse or pocket. I also now have a spot to keep information that previously floated about in my purse on scraps of paper. These are so cheap, and I encourage everyone to get one!

It's the "Oxford At-Hand Note Card Case". heres a link if anyone's interested
Oxford At Hand Note Card Case Black 3 38 D x 38 H x 5 916 W Pack Of 25 Cards Included by Office Depot

Birdman666 · Jul 25, 2014

Chaos and disorder is a way of life at my house...

We wouldn't function if anything was organized. (Not that it would stay that way longer than an hour anyway!)

My parents are orderly and organized.

Apparently it skips a generation, or in this case, two, cuz my daughter is SO NOT...

getwozzy · Jul 25, 2014

I'm amazed!!! I really wish all of my stuff was that organized- someday maybe lol I'm trying though- you should've seen me the other week organizing and sorting my stash of beads for the birds LOL the look on my husband's face was like "really??" Yes!!!! I must organize it ALLL!!! I'm lucky the kid hasn't found it yet and dumped them out

I do love your rainbow-coordinated paper clips lol and btw- I couldn't help but notice that business card...I think we use the same Avet haha

RavensGryf · Jul 25, 2014

I love it!! It's all so beautiful. I wish I was just like that

lol! I'm basically organized and clean, but going beyond that making it look EXCEPTIONALLY nice like you, is just laziness on my part :54: You do inspire me though!

Birdman666 · Jul 25, 2014

I actually had a friend who color coded her clothes closet...

Why, we don't know. But there were color coded hangers... and it all meant something.

getwozzy · Jul 25, 2014

Birdman666 said:
I actually had a friend who color coded her clothes closet...

Why, we don't know. But there were color coded hangers... and it all meant something.

I don't color code things in my closet, but I do sort them lol sleeveless, short-sleeved, long sleeve, button-up, sweaters, sweatshirts (pull-over vs zip-up) haha

RavensGryf · Jul 25, 2014

Birdman666 said:
I actually had a friend who color coded her clothes closet...

Why, we don't know. But there were color coded hangers... and it all meant something.

Haha... my closet, though it looks pretty normal (picked up and clean but not overly neat), I HAVE TO keep the shirts hanging within their same or similar colors (like at a store). All the black ones together, brown, then burgundy, then mauve (same color family) dark to light... all the prints together, etc. also all the long sleeves in a section and short sleeves in a different section. Pants categorized by type too. I have pants hangers which hold several pairs each. For example, one for blue jeans, one for non-jean pants, one for capris. I just HAVE TO!

ruffledfeathers · Jul 25, 2014

I like your whole aesthetic thing--it's like you use this as a means of personal expression, not just organization.

My parents were opposites. Mom loses her phone, keys, sunglasses every fifteen minutes and is kind of a manic, scatterbrain, but was always a clean freak. Dad was a marine and is painfully meticulous in an OCD way, but there can be dust bunnies in the corner. I lucked out somewhere in between.

Kiwibird · Jul 25, 2014

Birdman666 said:
I actually had a friend who color coded her clothes closet...

Why, we don't know. But there were color coded hangers... and it all meant something.

I know people who do this. They make different kinds of clothes easily identifiable (i.e. long sleeve shirts are on red hangers, pants are on blue hangers ext...). My husband and I aren't big "clothes" people, so I only use black and pink hangers- black for my husbands clothes, pink for mine

Mind you, we don't even use a closet. Share a dresser and have a garment rack. Thats it. I have maybe 40 articles of clothing total. I can justify spending money on some seemingly frivolous things, but clothing, uh-uh.

Chaos and disorder is a way of life at my house...

We wouldn't function if anything was organized.

I guess I'm totally opposite. I used to be more like how you describe yourself, but at some point, that started changing. I cannot function in chaos at all anymore. I feel like my life is spiraling and bad things will happen when things are disorderly. I'm really not kidding when I say I probably have some (mild) kind of form of OCD. If I see something that is not "perfect" and do not correct it, I will have serious anxiety until I do. It's really of irritating because I know it is irrational. And I always have a feeling I've missed doing some major thing I needed to do. I try to direct the negative anxious/tensions stuff in a positive and happy direction- i.e. the pretty organizational projects, making nice checklists to complete so I can reassure myself I have not missed anything important and everything is still under control.

do love your rainbow-coordinated paper clips lol and btw- I couldn't help but notice that business card...I think we use the same Avet haha

Thats funny that you caught the AV card. I wouldn't want to misplace that if Kiwi got injured or sick, as I'd be freaking out and may or may not be able to look up local AVs.

I really wish all of my stuff was that organized- someday maybe lol I'm trying though-

I wish I was just like that lol! I'm basically organized and clean, but going beyond that making it look EXCEPTIONALLY nice like you, is just laziness on my part

I have always been "overall" organized (as in, not like a hoarder, but certainly never color-coding things and being super meticulous), but I started getting really organized about 2 years ago because I find it reduces anxiety. It's been a LONG process to get to this point and I STILL have a ways to go. I'm getting there though

Heres a link to one of my favorite pieces on organizing. It's a very accurate article and good encouragement when it feels overwhelming

The 5 Parts of Organizing That Will SUCK by Melinda Massie | She Owns It

I like your whole aesthetic thing--it's like you use this as a means of personal expression, not just organization

Thanks. It is kind of my form of art. I'm not terribly good at drawing or painting (pictures at least, I paint lots of furniture lol), but I do have fun setting stuff up in a pretty way

Birdman666 · Jul 25, 2014

ruffledfeathers said:
I like your whole aesthetic thing--it's like you use this as a means of personal expression, not just organization.

My parents were opposites. Mom loses her phone, keys, sunglasses every fifteen minutes and is kind of a manic, scatterbrain...

That would be me. Though I don't lose my sunglasses so much as a certain large macaw thinks it's funny to snap them in half... Car keys, wallet, phone, etc. yeah. I have to put it all in a designated spot, or it's gone. [NINE concussions will do that to you. I don't remember things as well as I once did.]

:32:

Dinosrawr · Jul 25, 2014

Birdman666 said:
I actually had a friend who color coded her clothes closet...

Why, we don't know. But there were color coded hangers... and it all meant something.

... I'm totally that person. I have a huge walk in closet that my boyfriend and his father made for me, and even though I don't have a lot of clothes or shoes, everything is perfectly co-ordinated by colour, clothing type, and put in particular places facing a specific direction. To put it simply, my boyfriend does NOT do the laundry. If he does I often have a mini-freak out because the clothes are on the hanger wrong or they're facing the wrong direction... I'm always surprised he loves me :52:

I absolutely LOVE your organizing, and I'm pretty damn near the same when it's my own space. Brendon will help me clean, but generally just the vacuuming/dusting/wiping of stuff, otherwise I go insane if I can't put it away organized properly. His XBox games and my computer games are organized first by game type, then by name, and on occasion by box size. I used to be SO OCD by myself that my dirty laundry was folded in specific bags by colour and clothing type. Even my UNDERWEAR was folded. I had to break that habit when I started dating Brendon, otherwise I would've went insane.

I also like to have things labelled, in specific places, at all times. I like knowing where everything is, should I ever need it. I'm currently working on a bathroom organization project because it's crazy in there and it drives me mad. I like clean AND tidy AND organized.

I'm just glad I'm not the only one, hahaha!

Sterling1113 · Jul 25, 2014

Wow, I feel inhuman for being lazy!

When I was young my parents would have me clean EVERYTHING. All the time. Up until I moved out, pretty much, and it wasn't the cleaning that irritated me(I understand I lived in their house chores are simple etc etc) but it went beyond the basic daily/weekly chores and turned into them being downright mean and disrespectful to me about it, so I built up this sort of resentment for certain tasks.

My apartment is clean, but it's not spotless. My boyfriend is more "organized" than I am, we have folders labeled for important paperwork and whatnot, but as far as budgeting that all gets done in our heads.

And he folds most of the laundry, because he has certain ways he does his clothes, and I do it wrong.:20: My stuff just goes on hangars or in the drawer.. I mean I could count my clothing items on my fingers and toes so it's not like I *need* to organize them. Takes me a whole 30 seconds to look through everything I own LOL

Oh.. and then there's the bed. Don't you DARE make the bed! I promise you, you WILL do it WRONG and Brad will NOTICE! :54: I think it was maybe 3 or 4 times I tried to make the bed, and then he re-did it, before I decided I would just let him make the bed from now on. Lol. No fights or arguments, but still allot less stressful on the both of us.

Phlox · Jul 25, 2014

Um...I have a lot of pets, a contractor/home based husband who doesn't take his shoes off and a 3 year old. It's clean...and I know where stuff is, but I'm not particular about anything.

Dishes are clean? We have washed clothes at least in the basket?

It was giving up on trying to have a perfectly clean house like my mom, that has made my house 1000 times cleaner. Perfectionism totally paralyzed me. So I have pet food in tightly sealed containers, and kids toys go into storage ottomans. I have 2 vacuums and extra brooms and NO CARPET.

Good enough.

Birdman666 · Jul 25, 2014

getwozzy said:
Birdman666 said:

I don't color code things in my closet, but I do sort them lol sleeveless, short-sleeved, long sleeve, button-up, sweaters, sweatshirts (pull-over vs zip-up) haha

Click to expand...

My closet is "organized" in piles. And actually, the piles aren't even organized anymore. HEY, THEY PUT THE DOORS ON THE CLOSET FOR A REASON. THAT'S WHY YOU SHUT THEM...

And as for making the bed, it's friggin' hot right now. I'm sleeping in a total of ONE sheet. Is there a point to "making the bed" when it's just one sheet?

I have big feet, and can't stand them getting crunched under the covers. I tend to sleep wrapped up in my sheets, with pillows propped in strategic locations, (primarily where the parts that have been broken more than once and hurt at the end of the day are... )

getwozzy · Jul 25, 2014

Mark you're making all of us neat freaks cringe in horror LOL 😉

despite how much I desperately try to keep ALL the clothes in the closet organized, my husband does not share the same aspirations. Lol I (try to) organize his clothes too- work shirts, nice shirts, work pants, nice pants, etc....."where's my khaki shorts?!" as he throws everything on the floor and out of place. WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

I even went as far as labeling the laundry cart (darks, colors, lights)...I think he's color blind, or maybe just blind LOL

SIGH.

Birdman666 · Jul 25, 2014

getwozzy said:
Mark you're making all of us neat freaks cringe in horror LOL &#55357;&#56841;

despite how much I desperately try to keep ALL the clothes in the closet organized, my husband does not share the same aspirations. Lol I (try to) organize his clothes too- work shirts, nice shirts, work pants, nice pants, etc....."where's my khaki shorts?!" as he throws everything on the floor and out of place. WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

I even went as far as labeling the laundry cart (darks, colors, lights)...I think he's color blind, or maybe just blind LOL

SIGH.

I have a bird shirts pile (i.e. already been chewed) and a non bird shirts pile.

Then a work clothes pile, and a casual clothes pile.

And a someday, I really need to get around to ironing those pile... (that one seems to have taken over.)

THERE ARE TWO ROOMS I INSIST ON HAVING CLEAN, CLEAN. THE KITCHEN AND THE BATHROOM...

Kiwibird · Jul 25, 2014

Dinosrawr said:
Birdman666 said:

I actually had a friend who color coded her clothes closet...

Why, we don't know. But there were color coded hangers... and it all meant something.

Click to expand...

... I'm totally that person. I have a huge walk in closet that my boyfriend and his father made for me, and even though I don't have a lot of clothes or shoes, everything is perfectly co-ordinated by colour, clothing type, and put in particular places facing a specific direction. To put it simply, my boyfriend does NOT do the laundry. If he does I often have a mini-freak out because the clothes are on the hanger wrong or they're facing the wrong direction... I'm always surprised he loves me :52:

I absolutely LOVE your organizing, and I'm pretty damn near the same when it's my own space. Brendon will help me clean, but generally just the vacuuming/dusting/wiping of stuff, otherwise I go insane if I can't put it away organized properly. His XBox games and my computer games are organized first by game type, then by name, and on occasion by box size. I used to be SO OCD by myself that my dirty laundry was folded in specific bags by colour and clothing type. Even my UNDERWEAR was folded. I had to break that habit when I started dating Brendon, otherwise I would've went insane.

I also like to have things labelled, in specific places, at all times. I like knowing where everything is, should I ever need it. I'm currently working on a bathroom organization project because it's crazy in there and it drives me mad. I like clean AND tidy AND organized.

I'm just glad I'm not the only one, hahaha!

Glad i'm not the only one who sorts laundry, folds underwear and (am working on) making sure everything has a "home"

I can't say my hubby would want me doing anything near his video games. I avoid the cabinet he keeps them in like the plague lol. He once put one back in the wrong case, and I was shamed and blamed for MONTHS despite denying ever touching the game:52: He did apologize when he found it and remembered it was HE (not me) who misplaced it:20:

When we both worked, Joe would help with housework and it drove me nuts. We never did see eye to eye on how things should be done... I like it much better now that I work from home and have the time to do ALL the cleaning. Screw "helping" with the dishes, if he wants to be helpful or do something nice, he can just bring me chocolate

have a bird shirts pile (i.e. already been chewed) and a non bird shirts pile.

Then a work clothes pile, and a casual clothes pile.

And a someday, I really need to get around to ironing those pile... (that one seems to have taken over.)

Sounds like my husband... The laundry hamper is literally 2' away from his night stand, yet when he comes home from work, where does he leave his dirty clothes???? Right in the middle of the floor:52: I iron everything after every wash, so never wrinkly clothes, but if he had a button fall off his shirt or the hem is coming loose on his pants, when does he wait to tell me he needs me to fix it? Until about 5 minutes before he's running out the door:31:

RavensGryf · Jul 26, 2014

Sterling1113 said:
Oh.. and then there's the bed. Don't you DARE make the bed! I promise you, you WILL do it WRONG and Brad will NOTICE!

When I visit my mom, I help her change her sheets and make the bed. She has got to be the most eccentric person ever with her bed making criteria :52: Tuck here, not there, fold and pleat here... Not too tight! Now don't tuck it in at the foot, just drape it between the footboard and mattress... but tuck under the corners only. (How in the world it doesn't completely shift around by morning is beyond me, but she doesn't move around like a normal person lol). Then it takes us a little while to get it COMPLETELY straight and evenly measured to her rigorous standards. It's a wonder she doesn't literally get out the measuring tape. If you watched us it would look completely ridiculous!

RavensGryf · Jul 26, 2014

Kiwibird said:
When we both worked, Joe would help with housework and it drove me nuts. We never did see eye to eye on how things should be done...

Don does our cleaning. He INSISTS on how things should be done a certain way, with certain cleaners, and certain specific types of mops, buckets, brushes, etc. He treats HIS vacuum like it's one of his expensive tools lol... He doesn't like other people using it. So to avoid a huge argument I just leave all the housecleaning to him nowdays.

Fine! It's actually nice to not have to mop or vacuum, etc.
I do the birds cleaning and vacuum with MY vacuum lol, since he does nothing with the birds except cuddle and play with them, which is fine, because when it comes to my birds, I'm like Don with house cleaning, I do it MY way! I don't trust anyone else.
I also do "between cleanings" house cleaning though. Which he doesn't consider real "cleaning" lol... I use the Lysol wipes for bathroom and kitchen, and Swiffer pads for the bathroom and kitchen floors.

Though we keep reasonably clean and tidy, it's not AS "germ free" as I would have it if I lived alone. It's impossible to be a germ freak when others in the household aren't. When you live with 2 men who are about as clean as is 'normal' but NOT germ freaks like me, I had to learn to make do, and try to stop freaking out. I mean, I can't constantly carry around a bottle of wipes with me right? My father is very elderly, so he's not going to take off his shoes in the house, or be an extreme germ freak, neither is Don, and if I remind people to wash their hands as soon as they come in the door, I get yelled at. Probably think I'm just a nag... Haha

Oh well, we just do the best we can.

I'm turning into my mother (OCD organized)

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