An Organized Mess

One of goals for 2012 is to be more organized.

I almost laughed aloud just typing this.  Because this girl??  I'm the high queen of disorganization.

As a general rule, I live in a state of perpetual clutter.  There are always envelopes stacked on my desk, paperwork misfiled in my so-called "filing" cabinet, baby clothes everywhere....don't even get me started on my closet.  Ee Gads.

The thing is, I really HATE clutter.  I hate having to spend an extra three minutes every morning searching for my car keys, or tracking down my cellphone, or locating a misplaced piece of paperwork I needed for a student.  It drives me bat ass crazy.

Then why am I such a red hot mess?  Why, Summer, WHY?!

 Perhaps it's because my brain hasn't worked properly since I squeezed a Maddie Bear from my loins. (Although, I can't fully blame her because I've always been this way.)  Perhaps it's in the gene pool.  (Sorry, mom.)  Yet, I think it's mostly due to my general laziness and desire to procrastinate whenever at all possible. Bills?  Eh, I'll file them later!

No longer, baby.  Kiss that clutter goodbye!  This is the year that Summer will get -ish done!

The last time I made this vow (and failed) was last spring when I created my home management binder.

When I first came across the idea on Pinterest, I snorted.  The thought of sitting down and creating a manual for my life seemed ludicrous.  It's the kind of thing type-A overachievers do.  I am not that kind of person, and those kinds of people drove me crazy in college.

Yet, as we began the process of buying a house, and Madeline's paperwork kept piling up everywhere, I realized I needed to get things straightened out before I went insane.  The idea of a home management binder was lookin' pretty darn good.

And thus, THIS was created:  My Home Management Binder!

Complete with tabs...

 

 And pocket folders...

Are you blinded by its radiance?  You should be.

I separated my binder into the following sections:

• Contacts
• Work
• School (Maddie's)  
• Medical
• Meals
• Home
• Family
• Financial 

All important forms from daycare, immunization records, plans for the house, budgets, coupons, business cards, fliers, recipes, memos from work, etc. go into the binder.  That way, I know right where everything is!

My favorite part?

I keep all my bill paying necessities in a zipper pouch in the very front of the binder.  When I'm paying bills, I no longer have to go searching for stamps, address labels, a calculator, or pen.  It's all right there for me to use.

And all those Type-A people who drove me nuts in college?  They came up with this idea.  Some of them have even created entire websites about being organized.  Their websites are a very helpful resource for people like me.

Here's a list of places I got most of my printouts for my binder.  I love all the printables.  They make me want to make lists for everything including the order in which I should put on my clothes in the morning.  

www.theprojectgirl.com
www.organizedhome.com
www.yourway.net
www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

Of course, maintaining a home-management binder does take some organization skills.  The To-Do list I keep in the very front of my binder?  It still says, "Buy Madeline's birthday invites."  Yup, hasn't been updated since September.

Here we go, 2012.  Let's get organized.