I mentioned that I was reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.
My life is not magically changed, but I have not yet piled every article of clothing I own on top of my bed and then handled each piece to feel a spark of joy (keep) or not (get rid of). I haven't done that with my books or my papers or the miscellaneous stuff around my house. I might someday. Then I will let you know about any magical changes that take place.
But--
Here's a confession: My underwear drawer looks like hers and has since a time before Marie Kondo was even born. And that is why I get a little testy. She makes millions teaching people to tidy their underwear drawers but I already knew that and just wasn't smart enough to cash in on it.
The summer after my freshman year at college, I worked at a small restaurant in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Two guys owned it and lived upstairs. There was another girl and I who worked there that summer and shared a bedroom upstairs as well. We cleaned rooms at a nearby motel in the mornings. I worked in the kitchen and my room mate waitressed with another woman who lived in town. It was kind of a strange set up, but the strangest part to me was when one of the owners asked which one of us had the incredibly neat underwear drawer. I mean he had to have been snooping, but he asked without any embarrassment at all.
Years later, when my daughter was probably six or seven, she came home from a friends house. "Mom, do you realize that not everyone keeps underwear the way you do?" She had witnessed her friends mom open a dresser drawer and toss in a jumble of panties, completely unfolded!! Honestly, the things you can't protect your young children from having to see too early in life!
Still--
I have to confess that I did learn something from that book and it is going to make my life easier. I had aha! moments over the notion of tidying once and then finding a home for the things that you keep when I reading the following bits:
My life is not magically changed, but I have not yet piled every article of clothing I own on top of my bed and then handled each piece to feel a spark of joy (keep) or not (get rid of). I haven't done that with my books or my papers or the miscellaneous stuff around my house. I might someday. Then I will let you know about any magical changes that take place.
But--
Here's a confession: My underwear drawer looks like hers and has since a time before Marie Kondo was even born. And that is why I get a little testy. She makes millions teaching people to tidy their underwear drawers but I already knew that and just wasn't smart enough to cash in on it.
The summer after my freshman year at college, I worked at a small restaurant in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Two guys owned it and lived upstairs. There was another girl and I who worked there that summer and shared a bedroom upstairs as well. We cleaned rooms at a nearby motel in the mornings. I worked in the kitchen and my room mate waitressed with another woman who lived in town. It was kind of a strange set up, but the strangest part to me was when one of the owners asked which one of us had the incredibly neat underwear drawer. I mean he had to have been snooping, but he asked without any embarrassment at all.
Years later, when my daughter was probably six or seven, she came home from a friends house. "Mom, do you realize that not everyone keeps underwear the way you do?" She had witnessed her friends mom open a dresser drawer and toss in a jumble of panties, completely unfolded!! Honestly, the things you can't protect your young children from having to see too early in life!
Still--
I have to confess that I did learn something from that book and it is going to make my life easier. I had aha! moments over the notion of tidying once and then finding a home for the things that you keep when I reading the following bits:
- The point in deciding specific places to keep things is to designate a spot for every thing. p.131
- ...pursue ultimate simplicity in storage so you can tell at a glance what have. p.137
- ...store all items of the same type in the same place and don't scatter storage space. p.138
I realized that I am tidy, but not organized. I put things away and then can't remember where I put them so I waste time looking for something or I waste money buying something I don't need. I think: well that was not a good place to store that so I rearrange storage space and then I forget where even more things are because I am putting things into deep storage so I don't see them at a glance.
There are some things I need to tweak in my tidying routine. One of them is not dealing with my underwear though.
And my socks are not to bad either:
Although the pantyhose still in the packages is a KonMari no-no.
Dang. Your drawers are amazing. You did miss out on making a fortune! I think if you get three good ideas from a book then you've got your money's worth.
ReplyDeleteWell, my pantie drawer is almost as neat as yours, almost. The rest of the clothing drawers are OK if not jaw dropping. I really, really, really need to throw out stuff. I did that with clothing and jewelry when I moved down here, but I have been here ten years and the time is now come to do that again.
ReplyDeleteI learned early, at my mother's side, the importance of being neat and organized. Unfortunately, I married a man who is a total opposite, and it's so frustrating!
ReplyDeleteYou and my daughter! I guess my messy underwear drawer must have scarred her when she was young! Then there is her closet which is beyond organized!
ReplyDeleteWow, your drawer is amazing. Mine is called packed clutter. Some rainy day, I may try your method.
ReplyDeleteI am the mother of your daughter's friend!!! But I am organized!!! I read somewhere that folding underwear is a waste of time.... just shove it in the drawer, and that's just what I've been doing for many years.... Oh I know...TMI
ReplyDeleteI tend to be organized where my jewelry is concerned. I store green jewelry in a sandwich bag separate from the gold jewelry in another sandwich bag, etc. My rings are all stored together in one bag, too. All of these bags are then stored in a drawer in my dresser.
ReplyDeleteThere are some lessons for me to learn as well, because I have a bad habit of purchasing things (replacement mop head springs to mind because I went to the store just this morning) and then I'm not able to find them when I need them. It mostly happens with items that are rarely used.
ReplyDeleteMy dresser drawers are a disaster, I clean them with the intention of keeping them tidy and organized and it never happens. I'm envious of your mad underwear skills! As for the former landlord, ewwww!
You've inspired me. My underwear drawer is a mess!
ReplyDeleteI am good at throwing out and repurposing Books, and toys and when something breaks it is outta here fast. our small home made me a good PITCHER outer. But My drawers drawer is in sore need of help . Thanks
Fortunately my wife puts my underwear away, if it was me it would be a jumble. Nice drawers.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I try to keep my underwear folded and neat too, but not like that. I like your method much better. I'm going to go fix mine right now. Thanks a bunch!
ReplyDeleteYae! I just fixed my underwear drawer and I LOVE it! I'm going to post about it too with a link to your post. I did Art's drawer also and OH MY GOSH! It freed up so much space! Thank you so much!
DeleteThis is fun. I love being disorganized!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun read. I am familiar with the book but have. It read it. I am not tidy but I a organized. I am good at outgoing things and to so a few times a year. Still, things accumulate.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Olga. I'm here with my mouth open at your organized drawers. I thought I was good, but you have me beat!
ReplyDeleteYou're so funny! I am not tidy. Hubby is a neat freak. Not a good combo.
ReplyDeleteI am organized, in that things have places and spaces. Things have been so busy with appointments, though.