I am a piler
I have piles everywhere
if there is a flat surface in my home, there is a pile on top of it.
the problem with piles is that they make the house look messy
and there is stuff all over,
even if the piles are neat
the house just looks out of sorts.
The last month or so I have been making a real effort to eliminate my piles.
I would say that I have been moderately successful,
I have eliminated many, stayed on top of many and ignored a few big ones (I swear I will get to those)!
I am finding that there are a few piles that just won’t go away. I didn’t really know what to call these piles until I read a post on
Biblical Womanhood about her “
management center”. A-HA! Bingo, these weren’t just piles of garbage, they were my
management centers! I have two of them and these places are where I run my home from and they serve a vital function. I
could never get rid of them
because I needed these areas! I use these areas!
Below is center #1
it is in the kitchen right by the phone.
This is where I do my meal planning and my
daily schedule, this is where the
calender is and where I take phone messages.
Even though this is a busy spot, it doesn’t need to look so messy and really, in all that mess who can run a home efficiently. It takes up my whole counter and the computer just gets in the way, and is very distracting (I would much rather blog stalk than clean or cook!)
This is my second
management center, the desk in my bedroom. This is where I pay bills and write letters. Usually my computer is on this desk too, but my box of seeds are in the way!
What a pile of mess!
And seriously who can keep track of bills in this clutter.
So a couple of weeks ago I deiced to tackle this clutter trap and make my management centers more efficient.
Management center #1
all clean and clear
there is something about this that just feels so good!
It is now easier to keep track of our daily schedules, menus, appointments and other odds and ends that pop up.
Management center #2
The computer is back in its place.
The bills and papers are organised
all the odds and ends are put where they go.
I love this little spot in our house.
I get to sit and blog! (and pay bills) right by our big window
it happened to be a rainy day that day
perfect for de-junking my piles.
Now the real trick is to keep them neat and tidy!
It is now easier to keep track of our daily schedules, menus, appointments and other odds and ends that pop up.
What an inspiration! I have some de-junking to do myself.
I’m a piler too! I went and bought some fabric boxes to help organize one of my “centers” That helped a lot, but I still have to work on the piles at least once a week to keep them from getting out of control.
I love it! I tend to function with piles as well, and like to call it an “organized mess.” (I can usually find what I’m looking for, but then again, as I think of it…I’ve also misplaced some pretty important things that I have yet to FIND!) So yours was an encouragement; especially to see your desk looking so pretty with the beautiful stationery. (I should do that! It might encourage me to actually write the notes that I only intend to write but never do!)
Merrilee
P.S. I LOVE the painting at the top of your blog, with the woman reaching out to feed the horse! It made me chuckle.
I was thinking the same as Merrilee–your stationary looks lovely. Makes me wish I had my stuff organized like that, perhaps I would write more thank you/thinking of you type notes.
Everything looks great!
Way to go! I am such a piler too. We’re talking baaaad. It’s a constant struggle for me.
You have inspired me!
Did you know we have similar tastes–we have the same picture on the header of our blogs!
I love your lamp and the way the cards look. It looks so Victrian.
I have become a big piler lately. I totally blame it on my baby though! She gets into everything and I always just take things away from her and pile it up on the table in the office/dining room. It has kinda become a joke. Can’t find something? Go dig in the pile. Only it is not so funny anymore because it is getting out of hand. I need to clear it off and find a better way to keep the baby out of things.
Your management centers look great!
It looks so great. I loved the way you did your desk. Can I ask you what do you do when your mail comes in? I have a station in the kitchen where I put them but my desk and stuff is downstairs in my bedroom. I feel like I have too many stations to maintain. Do you have a tip?
This is a daily struggle for me! It makes me anxious and grouchy to have piles, but I feel like my family is all against me! DH is the biggest offender, and all the boys seem to take after him! So I have to concentrate on areas I have control over…like my scrapbook table. You must feel so good to have your “areas” neat and tidy!