Are you Organized?

I don’t know how many times I’ve been told that organizing is a gift. And maybe it is, but half the time I think it’s a curse. I don’t mean the half that sorts things alphabetically (which, I’ve learned, most people don’t do naturally) or puts things back where they belong (like your mother taught you). I mean the part that sorts every part of life into neatly marked boxes: friendships, trials, joys, enemies. Everything is easier to deal with correctly sorted, right? Or maybe there’s just safety in putting something in a box and pushing it out of sight.

So, the other day I was checking out the news online (you know, debt problems and sports players signing contracts for enough money to pay off the national debt and all that other fun stuff) and saw an article entitled “10 Habits of Highly Organized People”. I thought, “Mmh, I wonder how organized I really am,” and clicked on it. I thereby discovered that in spite of my best efforts to trade in my organizing gift/curse into a more spiritual-like gift, I’m doomed.

First of all, I made the not-so-happy discovery that I do things I didn’t know organizers do. Like walk away from bargains. (I mean, why spend money on something I don’t need?) Or separate my emotions from my possessions. (At the end of the day, even my books are just something I own.) Or foresee – and avoid – problems. (Well, I make extremely elaborate attempts to do this even if it doesn’t always work…) How truly organized I am!

Of course, there are some things I know I do. Like I never label anything miscellaneous. Otherwise how would I find it? I don’t exactly schedule decluttering sessions, but I do plan them in advance. (Of course, I do that with everything possible.) I certainly stick with what works. (No need to reinvent the wheel.) And I do have a “dump zone”. Which is a common mis-conception among those who are not members of “Organizers Anonymous”. (“Hi, my name is Melissa. And this morning I did NOT fold my laundered clothes. But I did this afternoon.”) For we organizers do have piles: piles of things we couldn’t sort the moment we stepped through the door. But until we do get around to putting the things in the pile away, we know exactly what is in it.

Now there were a few things I didn’t agree with 100%. Such as making peace with imperfection. Those closest to me know I haven’t signed any such peace treaty. But further explanation on this point aimed an arrow right at my chest. For it is true that I give “A-level effort” to projects I think are important while for the rest I do just enough to get it done. (All while multi-tasking, naturally.) And just ask my mother to tell you if I ever ask for help. I don’t fall anywhere near the exposing myself to embarrassment and calling for backup. That’s because I try my utmost to plan everything well enough I don’t need backup. And as far as knowing where to donate things, well, I don’t really know where. I just know to clean out my closet and give them away to somebody…or throw it in a big, black trash bag.

So, I guess I will have to face the fact that God made me an organizer. Because you don’t know how hard I’ve tried not to organize – and failed miserably! And while one friend thinks I’ve got the greatest gift bestowed upon mankind, I’m still getting over being unable to trade it in for something more spiritual like mercy or teaching. Of course, if I had one of those gifts I’d probably complain because my room’s a mess and I can’t find anything! Such is being human. There’s always something to gripe about…each carefully noted and placed in a box marked “Complaints”.

P.S. As I told a friend about this posting, the first comment I received was, “And I bet it will be written in a neat, organized manner.” Just for that, I wanted to write it unorganized…if only I could think that way!