too organized

I am an organized person. I like things tidy - a place for everything.

Although.... you wouldn't necessarily know that walking into my house. Why? Because my house is messy most of the time. (ugh) I hate that. I'm not proud of that. It's embarrassing.
(one clutter free victory - and a shot of the 'new' basement!)


But I'm not a 'clean' person. I'm an organized person and there IS a difference. Clean people, some anyway, have perfectly clean homes, but their closets and drawers are a disaster.

My closets, drawers, pantry... are all pretty amazing. I rotate the kids clothes as I put away laundry each week so all the clothes are worn on rotation. (I'm a little sick, I know) I have my closet organized by event, then inside that, by color.

However, there is a point to going too far. (You may think I already have, but I promise you the general messiness of my house counteracts my weird organization. And truth be told, even my organization is falling WAY behind.)
I was reading this magazine recently, and in it was an article for eliminating clutter (help I always need), and organizing said clutter.

This one lady featured had a spotless house (course I would too if a magazine was coming to photograph my house) and inside her kitchen cabinets everything was in labeled jars. EVERYTHING - Cheerios, oats, pasta, rice, beans, cinnamon - all in perfectly matching jars with white lids.

I honestly don't think I have the energy for that. I'm lucky to get the cereal home from the store, out of the minivan, and into the cabinet itself. I don't think I could take EVERYTHING out of it's wrapper and put it into a jar. What if you have something new one week??? Does she have extra clean jars with white tops standing by at the ready???

I don't even own a label maker. And if I did, it would probably be completely out of label tape. The kicker of the article for me was the end. The lady gave a final tip on making labels, and of course, said to make sure you put one on the label maker! If you actually are so neurotic as to label your own label maker - with special font and all - you really might need to look into getting some help. Or a hobby. I'm just saying. She is now right up there with the people I know who iron sheets and underwear.

To all you 'clean' people - I wish I could do what you do!
And to all the fellow organizers who do so in closed cabinets and drawers - here's to hoping our clutter in the main living areas grows smaller everyday!
Cheers!