Organizing For Senior Year

Every summer since Claire was born, summer time has meant clean/purge/organize time for her room. If you're reading that sentence and take it to mean I'm an immaculate clean fanatic, you are mistaken. I don't 'get off' on cleaning. I DO enjoy having just enough stuff to live a fabulous life.....and no more.

This year, Claire and I are facing a couple new obstacles in the way of our pursuit of an organized room. She's in the midst of her final month of junior year. Yep, I'll have my last high school senior next fall. Bittersweet? You betcha. I can't think of it without a huge lump developing in my throat. If it was important to have an organized room before, it's imperative now. She is a beyond busy gal.....choir competitions, dramatic productions, being an editior on the school newspaper, trips....and she's looking for a job. A few things going on.

Needless to say, I am not posting a picture of her REAL room. It's a minefield right now, due to the fact that's she's hardly ever home. We got in at 945 last night after a choir competition in downtown Columbus, and she was met by her best friend Kelli, who swept her away to her house for the night, so Claire could do her hair for prom today. Claire's not letting a whole lot of grass grow under her feet.

Even though she jumps from one activity to the next, Claire is going to have to start taking 'baby steps' in the organizing dept. Spending 'little minutes' on tasks like hanging up the huge pile of clean clothes on her chair, putting all the shoes back in their place in the closet, and making sure her jewelry (especially earrings) are safely ensconsed, will make a huge difference in just a few days.

She's going to have to take an additional step though, after everything is cleaned up, purged and put away. This is a step that's hard for ALL of us, not just teenage girls with active lives. We have to learn to PUT THINGS BACK WHEN WE'RE FINISHED WITH THEM. Done wearing those heels? Put them back in the closet. Done with that book? Put it back in the bookshelf. Dirty clothes? Hamper, please.

Almost everyone has an issue with that step. I come home from work, I'm tired. I look at the mail, and leave it on the kitchen island. For days. I might as well start dusting some of the stuff left there. If I took the 'baby step' of disposing of the mail after I read it, the mess would no longer be there, and I wouldn't be faced with organization nightmares on my weekends........when I have no idea where to start.

Are you faced with a houseful of cleaning/organizing projects? Use your 'little minutes' and start taking 'baby steps.' Then put everything away when you're finished. Don't get discouraged......like everything else that's worthwhile in life, time and effort are required for a wonderful end result.

Now, if you'll excuse me.....I have laundry calling my name.