So, You're Not an Organizing Expert?

At a recent workshop, an attendee was horrified at my statement, “It's okay if there is a pile of laundry over there, but you get to spend time with your child.” I was talking about how a mom walks the fine line between things being visually organized and sheer and simple productivity. For a left-brained person such as herself, it did not compute that “mess” did not have to equal stress.

Guess what? I am NOT an organizing expert! Indeed I have learned many organizing best practices and have implemented them in my family, home, life, and work whenever and wherever practical. I have learned to do things “expertly” without becoming a white-gloved, boring dictator.

Only you can be the Official Organizing Officer for your home and family, as it must by nature mean different things for each of us. Some things that currently work for us may shock you: Much of our laundry never gets folded (think the kind of laundry that gets worn to bed, peeks out above our shoes, or that hopefully NEVER peeks out...), I frequently do one big dishwashing at the end of the day (Yep, a nice big pile of em!), and we frequently show up late (without unhappiness, nagging, and fights—you tell me what's more important?!).

At the end of the day, if you are living by YOUR priorities, and making progress in keeping the path clear along the way; take a bubble bath (or whatever fills you up so you can give), and lose the weight of perfectionist guilt!