I Bow Down to Organized Audrey

I have an idol. I’ve met her once, I’ve heard her speak, I’ve bought her books and read them many, many times, and I’ve attempted to put them into action even many more times than that. I look up to this woman because no matter how hard I try, I am not anything like her. And I really want to be.

She is Audrey Thomas, founder of Organized Audrey. She is a home organization expert.

There are a lot of great things about my home. It is bright and open. It is surrounded by lovely trees. It is occupied by the people I love. It has plenty of space for us and our things. It really is a good place to live.

But organized it is not.

I have stacks of papers on my kitchen counter, laundry baskets of clothes in my bedrooms, toys overflowing every room, piles of dirty laundry waiting to be washed and closets stuffed floor to ceiling with, well, stuff. I can’t even guess how much time is wasted in my house looking for things we can’t find and how much energy is wasted feeling frustrated about the mess.

I reveal all this as a sort of therapy. It’s like I’m at my first Disorganized Anonymous meeting and I’m shyly standing up to admit to the crowd: “Hi, I’m Jen, and I’m disorganized.”

The time has come to change. But this isn’t my first time trying. Many more times than once I have worked really hard to get everything the way I want it (or at least close) and have kept it that way for two, maybe three weeks, and then I fall off the wagon again. I like to blame it on lack of time as a busy working mom of three, but I know an excuse doesn’t change the fact that it is as it is and I don’t like it.

So, send me good vibes, say a little prayer, or however you can support me, please. I’m going to try again.

I remember when I heard Audrey speak once she made a big point about not trying to do it all at once, but instead changing little habits one at a time. I trust her, so I will follow that advice.

So, first I’m going to tackle the paper in my kitchen. Audrey told a great story about a woman who had once called on her for help with this very issue. She had a gorgeous, clean house, but her double ovens were completely stuffed with papers. She had shoved it all in there once when company was coming and then just kept adding to it. (The story helped me feel so much better – at least my ovens are free of paper!)

Audrey’s solution to all the paper is using a hanging file box with separate files for all the different types of topics appropriate for your family. One for the school, one for church, one for sports, one for bills, one for take-out menus and coupons, one for each person’s personal stuff, ect. I actually attempted this a year or two ago and it worked great for a while. BUT, I had failed to take Audrey’s advice on one point – she said to not buy the pretty small file – to get the great big one. I went for the small, it got too stuffed and then we stopped using it.

I bought the big file box now and we will start again. I am committed. I am going to use this week to focus my energy, re-read some of the Organized Audrey books and get the family on board. My goal is to turn my home into more of a haven before the snow flies.

Thanks for your fabulous solutions and guidance, Audrey! You (and your ways) are always welcome in our home!