Confessions of a Messy Richmond Mom, Part Two

It’s been three weeks since the ladies at A Sorted Affair Humpty-Dumptied my office and then put it back together again. (To Read Part One, click here).
I giddily greeted Olivia at the door on our workday. The giddiness dissipated when I realized Olivia was serious when she called it a “work session.” At my organizing pace, I would have thrown in the towel—or label maker—after just a few minutes of frustration. But with Olivia at the helm, no junk drawer, clutter bowl or crap basket was safe. “Take a look at these,” she said, her hand waving over neatly sorted piles of change, paper clips, and spare keys. “Let’s find a place for them.” Ugh. I rolled my eyes and made a face when she turned away. In that moment, Olivia was like my mean organizing mom, and I was resisting. Laundry, bathrooms, dinner prep—all seemed better in that moment than slogging through my heap of papers and errant computer cables.

Next, we tackled my file folders. As promised, Olivia talked me through each process: what did I need this paper for? How often did I access this bill? What files did I use the most? With a warm but crisp attitude, Olivia tackled folder after folder. I hung with her, sorting and shredding.

With about ten loose papers left in my husband’s basket, I suggested that we create a “Dave Miscellaneous” folder. A thick silence fell over the room. Patty and Olivia looked up at me, eyes wide. I felt like I had just suggested we all run away together to a monastery. “Um…” I muttered. Olivia gracefully cut in, “well, let’s think of where these papers can go. We generally don’t like miscellaneous folders because they end up being a catch-all for everything.” Humph. Of course, I knew Olivia was right.

In that moment, I knew why all women need a professional organizer. It’s just the kick in the pants I need to keep going. I would have long since given up, left with multiple junk bowls and miscellaneous files. But with Olivia’s help, we saw that organization project to the bitter end. Almost. There is still a blank space on the wall for my perfect bulletin board. But that’s a bit like me. Even when it’s done, it’s a little undone. The desk is clean though, the files organized. I have a system I can use, and I’ve kept the mail sorted and the piles to a minimum. I am the mom formerly known as messy, and proud to be reformed!

Here’s just a few of the tips I’ve picked up from A Sorted Affair:

• Center all your hanging file folder tabs. It makes them easier to flip through.
• One-step cleanup is enough for small kids. Since adding a bench with cubbies and hooks, my children have stopped using the floor as a coat closet. Could be the novelty of it all, but it’s working for now!
• A “Miscellaneous” file is another word for “Future Black Hole”. Unacceptable.
• Process your mail into three baskets: “FILE” and “PENDING”. The third basket is the wastebasket. Throw it out or recycle!
• Use an under-bed bin for your children’s memorabilia. Keep one for each child, and file special art, school papers, etc. into the bin. At the end of the school year, you can keep the best of the best.
• Use a small hanging file box on your desk for your frequently used files. Check out a cute one at The Container Store.
• Develop your organizational system based on your personality. If you lack focus for details, don’t expect a multi-step system to work. Anything that requires high upkeep will fail.
• You can create a wave of positive organizing. My investment in time with A Sorted Affair in my office has given me the riptide I needed to organize my pantry, my drawers, and my closet!

What about you? Do you have a (dis)organized dilemma that you can’t solve? Send a picture to . One disorganized diva will receive a FREE organizing assessment ($200 value) from Olivia and Patty at A Sorted Affair!

Kate Hall

Kate Hall is the Founder & CEO of RichmondMom.com and author of Richmond Rocks ,a history book for kids. She has three children and a cup that overfloweth. She is truly appreciative of the 100,000 + visitors who visit the blog every year, and for the amazing team of writers who create unique, valuable content. Kate is thrilled to fulfill her dream of having a cool place for Richmond, VA parents to learn, grow, and share while supporting local charities.

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