Friday, June 10, 2011

Feng Shui--Ya Habibi for the Closets

I have to say I think there's some validity to Feng Shui.  Now don't get all, 'of COURSE there is' on me--I get it.  I really do (as much of it as I understand anyway).  I know it's more than just my mildly OCD brain craving order because even when I can't see the chaos I can actually feel it in my brain no matter where in the room or space I'm standing.  Weird, right?  Or maybe not.

Take for instance the storage closet in my laundry room.  Even though I didn't unpack the items that went into it, somehow I just knew it wasn't in order every time I walked by.  Miss Cleo at 3 o'clock.  Sure enough--2 months after moving into my place--last Saturday I got a bee in my bonnet (always wanted to use that because it's so Ma and Pa Ingalls) to get some things in order.  Confession?:  the place is mostly in disarray.  Due to work, blogging and wanting to get fresh air who has time to truly unpack and organize?  Not me.  And it's been messing with my head.  I can't think clearly, I feel unsettled, and frankly it makes me confused and somewhat tired a lot of the time even if I'm in the rooms that are in order.

It doesn't help matters much when I step outside every day to this.  In fact I can see it off the kitchen:
I know what you're saying to yourself:  what the h*ll is she doing?
Oh it's not me.  It's the landlord.  His painters were supposed to be here 3 weeks ago to finish painting.
Instead they showed up on Saturday at 8am, ripped a bunch of wood off and left.
Today he told me he's not sure when they'll be back.  Um, okay.  
Pardon me while I spend all summer trying to avoid plunging to my death via that gaping hole.
See what I mean?  Messes with my head.  

Rather than continuing to try to nap it out, I've decided to tackle one small area of disarray at a time...
beginning with that laundry storage closet.  
Let us begin with a simple question.  Who does this?
I'll tell you who:  the Chef--he can organize a kitchen like no other.  
My storage closet, however, not so much.  This top area is next to the 12 foot ceiling. 
To begin:  I'm 5'3''.  I need to seeeee the grocery bags in order to remember to take them.
It also helps if they're not balled up and indistinguishable.  Just a thought.
Upon removing said balled up bags I discovered 800 other bags within them. 
756 Martin+Osa bags from the good old days (RIP), 1 FEED Bag, 1 random burlap bag, 
1 cat print bag (score!) and 1 Whole Foods bag...tag still on.  Effective.
Post organization...I even feel better looking at it. (disregard laundry on your left)
I know what you're thinking:  it's still a hot mess up top, but I swear it's not.
Very top is next to ceiling and contains party favors and paint supplies aka rarely used.
Next shelf: reusable bags, awesome old school Banana Republic Potpourri and electrical stuff.
Third:  cleaning supplies I can reach just above my head--no ladder.

In organization frenzy 2011 I got caught up and didn't get a picture of the lower shelves in disarray, but here they are all cleaned out.  They're what the bag door closes onto:
Glorious isn't it?  
Are you still with me or have you checked out into the zzzzzz zone?
All you mild to moderate OCD'ers give a shout out--I know you're out there!!  Hello?
This however?  NOT GLORIOUS.  
All heading to the trash except the lighter fluid and odd paint supply.  
After that it's home freeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Seriously though--I wanted to sleep in this room so many times this week.  I felt peaceful and calm in there simply because it is organized.  I know you think I've lost it:  where's the clothes lady?  Where's the fashion?  One of my old bosses in retail used to drag us into the backroom and ream us if it was unorganized.  He always said he could tell how efficiently a store was running by the condition of the stockroom.  'If the backroom is a mess, the sales floor is a mess--even if it looks good on the outside it's just a cover for the truth.' And he was right.  It's a philosophy I've carried with me ever since.  If my closets aren't clean, my rooms aren't organized.  Similarly, if my interior life--my heart and spirit aren't at peace--what I'm presenting externally, even if it appears put together, is only masking internal chaos that is wreaking havoc throughout my life.  Truth, right?

So there's my armchair psychology for today.  I'm going to try to put it to good use when I watch The Real Housewives of New York tonight (did you get my ya habibi reference in the title?!) and when I move onto phase two of closet clean out 2011 on Saturday. May the cleaning fairies be with me.  

Have a great weekend everyone!  Remind me next week to tell you what the Chef found shoved down the drain at the restaurant today.  Niiiiiiiiiice.

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

It always feels so good to get something organized. If only it would STAY that way!! The chef organizes and cooks?! Geez, Carrie, you snagged my dream guy! xo

RosaLovesDC said...

OK, that landlord of yours better get his act together and get those people back there and fix that hole.
Great job on the organization front lady, I love it. I feel so much more accomplished when I organize something, it actually helps me reduce stress.

Ruth said...

I really understand what you mean, I have to tidy my room in the evenings before I can properly relax and watch a film because there is always the nagging feeling that things aren't right. Right now my wardrobe is calling my name for a systems organisation but I'm resisting the temptation until tomorrow...

Great job + great blog!
xx

flossyblossom.blogspot.com

Judy C said...

I think there is a correlation between closets and the brain. Cleaning one helps clean the other. Heaven knows I could use a good cleaning.

Lilacandgrey said...

I LOVE organizing! Don't you just feel so "clean" and Refreshed after?!
♥ Cara
Lilac and Grey

Jenna Lee said...

Spring Cleaning is fun and I love the end result. A clean closet is a clean mind!

Have a wonderful weekend, thanks for the sweet blog visit!

m_b said...

haha doesn't it feel lovely? to have it all in order? for me it stays that way for about a week then i go back to my old ways.

Unknown said...

I like that philosophy. I always feel better after cleaning/organizing my home.
Happy Friday!

Cafe Fashionista said...

Haha! I so love you, Carrie! It's incredible what a little organization can do for the mind, body, and soul. Once I actually slept in my closet (it's a walk-in; though a small one) after re-organizing it - it looked so welcoming! :P

Courtney Erin said...

Good luck with phase two...I just finished organized all the closets/storage spaces in my new apartment after the move so I feel ya. I also have to throw in "who's going to fix this? Santa?" because it oddly seems like it fits here...

xoxo ~ Courtney
http://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com

kimbirdy said...

oh i totally know what you mean! i'm 5' tall and have a terrible time with organizing our home full of tall cupboards. it's always a mess up top, and because i can't reach to put things back on higher shelves, our lower shelves begin to get cluttered with everything - cups stacked inside bowls on top of plates. disaster. but getting everything cleaned, organized, and cleared out makes me feel a million times saner. that's what i'll be doing today actually all around our apartment.

also, your landlord drives me crazy on your behalf. ugh!

Erika ~TiptoeButterfly~ said...

i HAVE to have things clean and organized or i can't settle - right now my house has 10 boxes from Z Gallery in it - my office is jam pakced with stuff from my bedroom - i walk into my place and *sigh* - hopefully i can clean it all up this weekend - i've had ZERO energy and NEEDS to get done .. i totally feel a connection with how my space is and how i feel

LyddieGal said...

I share that philosophy. I can't cook in the kitchen if the skin is full of dishes and the counters are cluttered; I can't sleep if my room is a mess, and I can't concentrate on putting together an outfit if I don't know where things are.

I just finished scrubbing the kitchen skin so that I could scramble my eggs, and now I need to put away laundry so I can get dressed...

Chic on the Cheap

Discovery Street said...

I'm the same...kind of...I can stand a mess for a little while, but if i need to get work done I need order.

5'3"? dang!? you look so tall in your pics!

Josie said...

Way to go with the organizing, doll. And oh, the landlord. What a... Special individual. Have a VERY fun weekend, my dear -- do something really great just for yourself, okay?
xo Josie
www.winksmilestyle.com

Kathy said...

haha! i am impressed! and really... work... blogging...life. who has time to organize :)

torrie said...

Total and complete and utter truth. Internal chaos = external chaos (unless your really good at hiding it- and that only works for so long).

I know, because I've been at this point myself for the past month, and it's time to get it together (or back together, I should say).

Baby steps, right?

Anonymous said...

Habibi! (They're going to keep saying that back in NYC, right?) Um, I like all things organization. I'll take more closet and organization posts. It helps me pretend some day I'm actually going to finish overhauling our closet. (Won't happen. I just keep adding to the madness. So when you finish with your place, send some help my way. Thanks. Habibi.)

A Crimson Kiss said...

OH DEAR GOD, YES. I will confess to pretty major OCD-we're talking refolding all my clothes biweekly to ensure that the dresser looks neat and storing my underpants in plastic bags.


Writing that makes me sound completely BAT SHIT. But that's what I need. I need our house to be clean and put away before I can do anything effectively, including lay around. A clean house and a well organized home make for a strong, uncluttered mind. And then I have a margarita.

Lila said...

already slightly grossed out about the drain, actually completely grossed out...ok I need to stop thinking about it or I'll be sick.

I am an organized crazy person. I actually get stressed if things are too chaotic or loud. The painters are experiencing my crazies now and they didn't look to happy this morning returning when they thought they were done. Awkward.

christinelovestotravel said...

I also have OCD when it comes to cleaning up my closet. I cannot stand messy closets!

Thanks for visiting my blog. Following you now :)

tifsong said...

hi! i took all the pictures, which one did you like in Kiev? the chess players?

Anonymous said...

Hahaha-----I feel the exact same way--we just moved and trying to stay off the beach to organize just isn't working for me. : ) I think you may have inspired me.

this free bird said...

@tifsong--just sent you a note on the b/w gentleman. lovely!
@17perth--i lost my mind and tore it up in that closet. too.much.junk!!

The Everything List said...

it feels great to have things organized. the hubs did this while i was gone this past weekend. it was glorious to come home to.

thanks for stopping by the blog! come again soon.

http://lachapstickfanatique.blogspot.com

tifsong said...

thank you so much! that was taken in kiev. :) i am diggin your blog! :)

Alexa said...

you definitely feel more accomplished when you're organizing
xo
alexa
www.theshortandthesweetofit.com

drollgirl said...

i think organization leads to a sense of calm because it shows that we can control SOME things in our lives.

i used to work with a lunatic that was reorganizing the cabinets/closets at work EVERY FUCKING WEEK. it drove me insane, mostly i hated her, and also because her frenzied activity was in close proximity to my work area. she was a constant flurry of activity, and she never really got anything done. note: this has nothing to do with anything, but my mind is forever connecting one thing to another thing that is pretty much unrelated. it is an annoying habit that i have.

anyway!

hope you have a fab weekend! :)

this free bird said...

well no worries on me flurrying around...i limit my flurries to once or twice a month. and, of course, mcdonald's. BAHAHAHAHA!!

FRANKIE HEARTS FASHION said...

I so get what you mean...when things/house are in order I always feel so much better! When my closet is in disarray it gives me anxiety!! Cabinets look great C...wishing you a fab and hopefully sunny weekend! xo

Mikelle Jade said...

oooooh looks great. definitely inspiring for me to get cleaning!

Lori said...

I am with you girl ~ I need to be able to see what I am looking for ~ organization IS my middle name after all. Everything needs to have a home in my home ~ works for me. I love your closet and understand completely where you are coming from. Hugs for a great week-end! xo

Unknown said...

Why do landlords gotta pull this crap all the time? I mean come on - why hire the least reliable/sleaziest people to do the job?

Your organizing looks t-riffic!

Claire Kiefer said...

Welll . . . I know that you are right about all this. And yet, my closet (clothes closet) is unspeakable. To be honest, I hardly use it. And my goodness I could be doing so much more with my laundry room, linen closet, etc. I would love to have a week at home with no work so I could get all these kinds of things done. Especially since I know that it would bring lots of the kind of mental/emotional relief you're talking about!

My Heart Blogged said...

I'm not going to lie I'm not much of a cleaner but when things are clean it relaxes me, and I feel tons better.

Claire said...

i dunno about feng shui, but i'll agree with you that when i have things organized i just feel better. i wasn't always this way, but since i had kids i feel like i especially need my stuff to at least be in order since everything else is so chaotic!

spinning-threads.blogspot.com

Rachella said...

It's great to get things organized,indeed! :) I heard some things about feng shui, and it sounds nice.

x

http://theonlyfashionprincess.blogspot.com

Rach said...

I need the cleaning fairy to come visit my bedroom. I'm tidy everywhere else except there. It looks like a clothing bomb exploded all over the floor, but I'll blame it on having too many clothes and not enough space ;)

Barbara von Enger said...

I appreciate an organised life, but fail at kep things so. Sorry to hear about the tribulations with your Landlord - hope it all sort itself out.
Your Chef sounds delightful - he cooks and organises. Enjoy the weekend;-)

OneCraftyFox said...

I feel very calm and a satisfied sort of peace after I have cleaned and re-organized too. Unfortunately it doesn't last very long because the clutter just won't seem to stay away.

Jamie said...

I am COMPLETELY OCD. I can not function in disarray. I actually have cleaning to do today and I am procrastinating at the moment...June Gloom kicks my ass!

http://www.glamlatte.com

Catita said...

I am doing exactly the same today and feel like I still got so much left!! But the result is worth all the effort!

Kristen said...

i'm loving your organizational skills. nice work

S.I.F. said...

Want to come over to my place and take care of it next?!? ;)

Christie M said...

Oh I need to do this so badly to my wardrobe closets for work! They are an overstuffed mess..you have inspired me! Next day off its ON!
http://icanstyleu.com/blog/

Unknown said...

I always dread cleaning out my closets and organizing but once I do it, it makes such a difference.

stylenuggets said...

You did a very good job there. I know I feel the same way when something's not organised. OCD you think?

Unknown said...

Messy bed, messy head.

Unknown said...

what an amazing job! Im def OCD, so this is like porn for me lol
So glad I found your blog!

Claire

http://www.hearthandmade.co.uk

Jessica said...

Hurrah to me catching up on your blog. AND hurrah to organizing that closet! High five, sista!

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