Working Toward Organization

   I'm still working toward organization.  I am not naturally inclined to be organized--at least, not in the real world.  Since I teach on-line, my virtual organization is great.  I have folders inside folders for each class and keep my virtual desktop uncluttered.  However, I still have to work surrounded by piles of paper on my physical desktop.  Part of the problem is probably visual: I can ignore great heaps of clutter because they have become part of the expected landscape.
    While walking through the kitchen a few days ago, I spotted a small corner of paper on the ground.  I could tell it was torn from the edge of my son's notebook (he's three, and likes to practice writing and scribbling).  My first instinct...nudged it out of my way with my toe and took two more steps.  Then I realized what I had done, backed up, picked up the scrap, and threw it away.  But it has taken a concerted, conscious effort to start noticing things like that!  
    In the course of getting the upstairs organized, so that we can get the downstairs organized and create a new office space for me, my super-organized friend has hauled away 11 (ELEVEN!!!) pick-up truck loads of things.  Each load was probably 1/3 trash and 2/3 donations.  Now that we've gotten so close to getting the upstairs done, I look around and see how much remains (which is mostly stuff that will move into my office space), and I am determined to cull even more!
    It is definitely worth all the effort!  My children went into the room they will share--the room that has been cleared of all the clutter, leaving only the essentials: beds and one set of toy shelves, and the closet.  The center of the room is entirely clear.  Even from downstairs I could hear them, running around and around in circles in that cleared space and giggling!  They were so excited to actually have room to move, in their own house, without having to step over assorted toys, books, crayons, and bits of their own paper.  And I *am* pointing these things out to them.  They've always had to pick up their toys, but not consistently every single day.  As I am learning, they are learning!

A Teacher's Clutter

Yes, I am a teacher. And yes, I have clutter--glorious paper clutter--everywhere. And I don't just mean on my desk. I mean around my desk, under my desk, beside my desk. If there's a locative preposition for it, I can put clutter there!  Here's a peek at just two shelves AFTER I cleared a few things.

And I'm trying to reform my cluttered ways, because they aren't limited to my desk. I now work full-time on-line, from my home office, so the clutter is housewide. But I am changing with the help of a very organized friend! She is a God-send, and I am blessed to have her help. She is helping me learn a whole new way of looking at my things. While I still have a million textbooks, I have managed to part with the ones that have nothing to do with my subject area!

My mom is a retired, cluttered teacher, and also a hoarder (of objects, "collectibles", not trash, but nonetheless a hoarder). I was getting that way fast just from being overwhelmed at the multi-tasking required to be a work-from-home mother and teacher. I HAVE to simplify to survive! And hopefully stop the clutter gene from taking over my children, too. My sister is a neatnik, so I have hope that my kids will be more like her and less like I have been (Remember, I am changing my ways!).