Just over two months ago I spent a weekend completely tidying up my room, organising things into boxes and rearranging things.
Since then things have somewhat progressed to a whole new level.
I have:
- Bought more storage boxes bringing the total of my ‘collection’ to:
Two large cardboard boxes
Eight medium cardboard boxes
Two small cardboard boxes
Two medium hard cardboard boxes
One small hard cardboard boxes
Two shoeboxes. - Bought four cardboard magazine organisers.
- Organised and threw away a lot of my paperwork which now fits into one folder.
- Completely organised my wardrobe and brought several items to the charity shop, as well as threw a lot of unsuitable clothes away.
- Got a new desk with more storage space courtesy of @mrsrickersby.
- Got a jewellery organiser.
- Put a lot of things in a lot of plastic zip-lock bags. This includes wool after realising that airtight zip-lock bags are a fantastic space-saving way to store it with the added bonus of it not unravelling in the box any more!
- [Mostly!] organised my knitting needles.
- Sorted out the big box I had of toiletries which required more zip-lock bags.
- Changed the curtains.
- Moved pictures and other wall decoration, as well as add more from boxes.
- Wrapped two Christmas presents. Not related, but still a sign of being organised!
- Run out of zip-lock bags.
I am quite proud and impressed with what I have done and I do enjoy spending time in my room more than before. Whilst I always knew where everything was before I’ve been able to simplify things to the extent that all the things I use daily are within reach yet hidden away, such as the hairdryer or lipbalm. Most of all it’s been fantastic to be able to have people come over without any warning which actually has happened quite a bit lately for various reasons.
There’s this little voice in the back of my head that wants to say ‘everyone’s always been right – having a system and keeping things tidy does make things a lot easier’. Yes, it is right that I always knew where everything was, but that doesn’t mean it was easy to get to!
So why don’t I sound completely overjoyed and happy?
Well, I think it’s that I’m more surprised, perhaps worried, about this sudden and extreme change in my life. I’ve gone from chucking things somewhere to zip-lock bags, hoovering and tidying constantly.
Under the surface, however, I have now reached the point where I can’t actually stand things not being where they belong and even did more when I had a bandaged hand.
Shoes have to be put away as soon as I take them off. Clothes folded away. Paperwork filed as soon as it comes in. For example, I got home Monday night looking forward to gaming, but felt so uncomfortable that I had to tidy up instead which continued through to Tuesday afternoon with yet more rearranging, hoovering and then some.
Additionally, I can’t even blame my current state of #funemployment, as it started before.
Is it normal to have such a sudden and in no way gradual change at 28?
2 Comments
There’s nothing abnormal about it at all. It’s just like a ‘change of modes’ or acquiring a new habit. I’m usually the laziest person in the world when it comes to manual work. However as a student, I once got a holiday job in a cheese factory which was quite heavy manual work. To my amazement, when I got home from that I would do lots of jobs around the house that I would never normally have done. I suppose that doing something all the time or many times puts your brain into that kind of mode.
Same goes now with cleaning. I can go ages without cleaning the house (think filthy pig sty) but once I start cleaning there is no stopping me! And after that I am careful to pick up even the smallest bit of rubbish. Until I later once again lapse into my old ways …
So I think your case is a positive thing. You’ve replaced perhaps old bad habits which everyone has with new good ones and put yourself into ‘tidy organised person’ mode. Well done!
Thanks, I like seeing it as a positive thing! :)
Now cheese factory – sounds like my dream job!