A John Mayer’s-worth of cleaning
All my angsting yesterday paid off, because not only did I discover I’m not alone in my conflict over blogging time versus chore time, but the post also pried this fabulous suggestion out of Deborah:
“I’ve had a really crazy-busy couple of weeks and my desk literally had 6 inches of papers covering it and I was getting desperate trying to find things. When my desk gets this bad, here’s what I do: give the kids ice pops, the dogs chewies and put them in the yard with the door locked. This gives me about 30-45 minutes of time until one of them starts breaking the windows to get back in. I turn the stereo on really loud, get a trash can, open all the file drawers and deal with it. It’s a race against time/kids/dogs and I try not to think too much about any of the things/papers on the desk–the only rule is everything must find a new home somewhere off my desk! (Admittedly, this does cause some new piles of stuff other places, but at least my desk is clean).”
I don’t know about you, but this solution really speaks to me. Probably because it appeals to my short attention span, for one thing. Because don’t we all psych ourselves out on home projects sometimes, convinced it will take a whole day to organize that closet or file all the random papers? And so then you put it off until that magical imaginary day when you really have all those hours to devote to one stupid project. Which is why it never happens.
But not this time.
Today I’m taking Deborah’s suggestion to heart, and confining my efforts to the length of one John Mayer CD–specifically, Room for Squares. By the time I get to my favorite song, St. Patrick’s Day, which also happens to be the last song on the CD, I’ll be as finished as I’m going to be for today.
Which brings an element of fun to it. I like speed contests where I’m only competing against myself (and in this case, John Mayer).
So here’s my before picture. Brace yourselves, because it’s really, really, really awful:
I’ll post the after photo later.
[LATER:]
COULD SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY I’VE BEEN SUCH A BABY ABOUT THIS? My office isn’t perfect–I’m not showing you the other surfaces–but I swear I didn’t just move piles off my desk onto some out-of-photo spot. This is really a purging, filing effort here that only took about 45-50 minutes. I am such a baby I can’t even believe myself. Here’s my post-John Mayer CD photo:
And now I’m going to keep going and fix the rest of my office. Put on John Mayer CD #2, Heavier Things and go to it.
I am such a crybaby. I’m sorry to have burdened y’all with this. Now back to render the rest of the chaos livable.
Technorati Tags: Great Decluttering Experiment, Office Organization, Decluttering, Spring Cleaning, Organization, John Mayer, John Mayer Is Cleaning My Office Sort Of
April 2nd, 2007 at 5:49 am
Good luck! May the force be with you.
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:05 am
Gosh, that’s bad, Robin? It’s not too awful…I don’t see any coffee cups with mold…Good luck!!
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:36 am
Thanks, Jules!
Kelly, you’re too kind, but I know people are out there saying, “The Horror! The Horror!”
And also wondering why on earth I’d reveal such a shameful thing about myself. This is like showing you all pictures of me from high school.
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:48 am
Pshaw, that’s nothing. You’ll get that clean easily.
(My project for today is my closet, or as my family affectionately calls it, the Black Hole, so I’m afraid my perspective of clutter is slightly skewed.)
Good luck, anyhow!
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:57 am
I can’t wait to see the after picture!
One thing I’ve begun doing, Robin — I got a big 11 X 14 or 14 X 17 or something sketchbook from Michael’s, and I tape a ton of stuff in it like newspaper articles I’m interested in but don’t know why, book reviews of books I want to read — whatever. I find it’s so much prettier and respectful than shoving them all in file folders, out of sight. This way, I can sort of page through the sketchbook and look for connections. (I’ll show you sometime if you don’t tell Annette!…Get ready for her email…LOL)
Have a great John Mayers’ morning!
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:07 am
hey, that’s MY 2002 federal tax return under the “entertainment book” of the same year–how’d that get there?
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:08 am
It really doesn’t look that bad,Robin-believe me,I have had worse pile ups in my closet(which has been nice and clean for over a year,thank goodness!).
Just do what they do on Clean Sweep-set up three different areas marked Keep,Store(it’s usually Sell on the show but in your case,it would be stuff that can be put away in storage)and Toss. After your first sort,make a new Keep section and have it be smaller in size. Trust me,this works!
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:03 am
Miri and Lady T, thanks for optimism! And thanks Lady T and Laura for the suggestions. We’ll see how far I get today.
Annette, should I have taken a blurrier picture? Dang.
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:36 am
Well, it looks awful to me, but that’s because I can’t work at ALL if there’s junk everywhere. Now admittedly, the extra room upstairs is much worse than your desk, Robin, but I don’t WORK in that room - and it’ll get de-junked later this spring when we set up to carpet it.
I have a LOT of machines etc. on my desk, but NO paper except my day planner…. and a box of Kleenex!
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:38 am
Vc, I don’t think I’d be able to work like that. Somewhere in between would be ideal. Too stark makes me feel too cold and uncreative. But that’s just me.
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:21 am
vc, although i think i’ve alluded to this before on the blog i would like to repeat–”i love you.” when you get ready to tackle the upstairs room feel free to give me a call.
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:22 am
Ok is it me but I don’t really see the problem. If you saw my home office, yours looks oh about the same. My attitude towards cleaning and organization is we all find our own level of tolerance. As long as I can wake up at night, find my way around in the dark without breaking my leg, its okay. If at any point a small voice says to you what would others think then you just shut the door. The whole idea of cleanliness is so conformist. We are so driven by some else idea of what clean means. I mean who is so perfect to judge. Well back to search for the mortgage bill. Good luck in cleaning.
April 2nd, 2007 at 11:07 am
Annette, I can see you need a friend like Vc, not me. I’ll step aside.
Herb, I agree–being clean is so conformist. I’m now signing off of the blog for the next 45 minutes (or however long the CD is) to go conform.
April 2nd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
“And so then you put it off until that magical imaginary day when you really have all those hours to devote to one stupid project. Which is why it never happens.”
That could apply towards word count as well…
And Robin, your before desk looked better than my now living space. Seriously. It’s scary. But a big YAY! to you for getting it done.
April 2nd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Robin,
Your after picture looks great. I’d be grateful if I could get my work area looking like that on a regular basis. I’m sending you some good vibes so you can declutter some more.
April 2nd, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Your desk is a wonderland.
April 2nd, 2007 at 3:05 pm
omg herb, just thinking of your office (and trying NOT to visulize it) has me running for my inhaler.
robin, don’t you understand that my affection for you despite your slovenly ways, is a sign of true frienship? if only you would reciprocate by taking off for the weekend, leaving the key under the mat and a roll of those big black trash bags…ahhh, heaven.
April 2nd, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Patrick, nice nod to Mr. Mayer.
Heather, great point! All those people waiting to write their novels until that time when they have a year off, or the kids are grown, or whatever–stop lying to yourself! Just write where you are right now! (You can see this is a bit of an issue for me.)
Vivian, thank you for the good vibes. They’re working!
Annette, I’m sorry, but you are a little bit sick. But of course I appreciate your offer and will never, ever take you up on it.
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 pm
herb, you willing to bite?–airfare’s on me.
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Oh Robin, your desk in the before picture looks so organized and neat compared to my bedroom right now. Really, I’m at the point where it’s depressing to go to bed because I’ll see the piles of stuff I haven’t dealt with.
But by Friday I’ll have it all in order. I have visitors coming to help me get my crap together. Or at least to help me hide it all in the attic.
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I just remembered this article on managing mess (hope html works on this website - sorry if not!). As a messy desk owner I was happy to read the part about messy desks=creativity!
But I know how great it feels to have some control over your immediate work environment - congrats!
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Emmaco, I took great comfort from that article, too, when I saw it. But there does get to be this point–like Nancy said–where you’re actually depressed to walk into a particular room. That’s where I was. I usually clean up my office right after I finish a book so I can start the next one with a fresh slate, but somehow I skipped that part back in January when I finished my latest. So it’s just been getting worse and worse since then.
Nancy, can we agree that sometimes the best thing about having a house guest is that you’re forced to clean?
April 3rd, 2007 at 7:06 am
annette,
your offer is tempting however, i’m afraid cleaning my office would distrurb the local ecology and have unforeseen consequences. like the extinction of some unknown vermin.
April 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 am
Robin, Robin, Robin. Your just one of the crowd now. I will try to continue slovenly cause.
April 3rd, 2007 at 3:26 pm
robin, welcome on your journey to the bright (and shiny) side. i say journey because you’re not yet there (i’d like to see a full pan of the office, with all drawers exposed, including file folders, as well as the knee hole). do not listen to herb–remember, he’s jealous. (although he does make a good point about displacing fauna that has adapted to the eco-niche created by a half-eaten pizza buried beneath a mound of out-grown dress shirts and expense account receipts).
April 3rd, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Congratulations, Robin!!!! That particular part of your desk is a thing of beauty.
April 3rd, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Thank you, Laura. Please speak to Annette and Herb.