Sunday, May 27, 2012

Enter: The Confessional.

Ok, I'm going to make a bold and maybe shocking confession on the blog today.  Are you ready? I'm a closet messie.  No really.  If you've ever been to my house and seen that I keep it pretty much prestine these days this way come as a giant shock to you but I've ALWAYS been a mess! 

I got in trouble every day growing up for leaving my bed unmade, not getting dressed before school, and not picking up after myself.  This habit got worse in high school and was the bane of my roommates existence in college.  Every once in a blue moon I'd get the itch to clean and pick up my room, clean everything off, and carry on the way I always did until it was a mess again.

Worse yet? I wasn't JUST messy, I was dirty!  My freshman year of college I only changed my bedsheets twice (I know, this is getting really shameful now)...my bed was lofty and it was practically impossible for my 5'3 self to do it without much help from my taller, cleaner roommate and so I thought, why bother?  Eck ok not I'm disgusted with myself just talking about it.

After college when I suddenly had more time (I went to school fulltime and worked 32 hours a week my junior and senior years), I got better.  I was renting a house with two friends from middle school who still lived in Tampa and we all pitched in and kept the place pretty clean. I finally was doing my part to keep the place up and realizing that when the house was clean, it was easier to think straight!

At 24 I bought my young professionals version of a 'dream home'.  A two bedroom, two bath townhome in my favorite part of town.  When I pictured myself young, single, and working hard this is the place I pictured coming home too.  For the first two weeks I didn't even have furniture but I didn't know the difference.  I slept on that airmattress with a big goofy grin on my face because I finally had a home of my own. 

This is when I determined it was time to quit being a messy.  This was my place and I wanted it to look great.  I wanted to entertain guest after guest in my shiney new home and be proud of it. And so, I changed my habits which in fact, changed my life.

I'm always looking to improve which is when I started reading Sandra Felton. She wrote a book on time management that I was obsessed with (I've written a little about that recently) but she also funs a website called 'Messies Anonymous'.  As I was perusing her archives after reading her book I thought, this is me!  I basically had to 12 step myself from a messie to my current state!

She has some incredible resources and I highly recommend her books, mostly 'Organizing your Day' which is continuing to push me to use my time wisely and effeciently so I can spend more of it with the people I care about and with my nose in a book.  So, confession time is over and if you're living in the land of messies, check out Felton for a revamp. 

Love,
B

3 comments:

Kristin said...

This is interesting because I didn't become truly messy until my husband deployed. While I lived with my parents, and then with him, there was always an unwritten rule that you cleaned up after yourself. However, with no one around to watch me, I've become extremely messy. Now, with summer vacation, hopefully I can change some of those habits!

Amber said...

I would've never guessed! At least your changed your habits. I can definitely imagine having your own place would do that to you!

Unknown said...

Even as a child, I liked things in place. My bed was always made with my pillows and stuffed animals neatly in place.

It does make it easier to think! I don't spend as much time running around looking for things!

Glad you made the transition - I would never have guessed ;)