TPC "lite": A Little Public Humiliation and a Whole Lot of "Baditude"
Step 5: Keep It Up
The best way to keep [your office/hobby] space clear is to regularly invite people over for a work or hobby night. Don’t underestimate the power of public humiliation when it comes to an area that it would be just as easy to shut the door on.Also keep the area pretty. Put in your personal touches so that it’s a place you want to keep organized and easy to use.(Kathi Lipp, The Get Yourself Organized Project, pgs. 102-103)
So, I didn’t exactly invite people over. But I’m pretty sure posting photos counts as public humiliation!
Actually, as I learned when giving an education workshop (called “Subduing the Chaos: Becoming ‘Organized Enough’”), sharing photos like this is a great way to separate the Melancholies from the Sanguines.
The Melancholies are horrified: “I can’t believe anyone can live like that!” (Or my mother’s version: “Just looking at this makes me feel messy!”)
And the Sanguines all exclaim, “Oh, that looks like my desk!” (And often, with great enthusiasm, “Only mine is way worse!”)
For the record, a typical Choleric approach is, “As long as I can find what I need when I need it!” And Phlegmatics generally think, “That looks like way too much work.”
Replacing Baditude
Here are the baditudes that cropped up during today’s de-cluttering spree:
1. “You’ve allowed things to get so bad that now you have to take everything out, sort it, organize it, and put it back NOW.”
Are you familiar with the “pull everything out so I’ll be forced to deal with it” technique? If so, you know the misery it produces…and perpetuates! Oh the times I’ve gutted one area of the house…and spread the contents all over the rest of the house…and then become so discouraged that I quit completely!
2. “You missed the deadline to join the class action lawsuit to get money back for this incredibly expensive power source! How could you?”
Yes, this power source not only smoked, it sparked and briefly caught on fire. And yes, I would love to have gotten my piece of the class action pie ($45 if I recall!) But no, it’s not an option any more.
3. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe you haven’t put everything in a memory album for Daddy yet! His birthday party was two months ago!”
Never mind that I haven’t put anything in any memory album for about a decade. Actually, I take that back. I’ve put plenty of money into memory albums–I own dozens! And scrapping tools. And supplies. (And a featherduster to keep them clean!)4. “What is with all these dumb Post-It Notes? You are so scattered! Mind going a thousand directions at once, always arriving nowhere.”
I have the world’s. worst. memory. This is a statement of fact, not a complaint. (Okay, it might be a slight hyperbole.) The moment an idea, a reminder, a question, a concern, a task, etc. crosses my mind, I yank out a Post-It Note and jot it down. Sometimes, in the time it takes to grab a pen, I forget what I was supposed to jot down. It’s bad.
5. “You are re-using Post-It flags? You waste everything else in your entire life but hoard Post-It flags?!?”
Don’t ask me. I’ll burn $10 of gas to buy a $5 Starbucks mocha and walnut-and-brown-sugar tart. But I recycle Post-it flags.
With God’s Word
On Day 5, I wrote about the fight to be right. And about how much I hate being wr…wr…wr…not completely right!
Baditude #1 was all about punishment, and I almost fell for it! I felt like I deserved to spend 8-10 hours “atoning” for my “sin” of allowing my desk to look so awful. Instead, I set a 15-minute timer and gently did what I could. Baditude #2 was all about blame. After taking the photo, I disposed of the defective power source.
I am righteous. Looking at my desk, at my choices, at my heart, I am reminded of what an “undeserved kindness” I’ve been given. To be declared righteous!?!
I need to let go of self-blame and self-punishment.
I need to Let God’s declaration that I am righteous become my “because.”
On Day 6, I wrote that our greatest need isn’t better behavior. Our greatest need is a Savior.
Baditudes #3-5 were all about my bad behaviors: taking too long, using too many, hoarding too much.
(Can’t see the image? Click here to read Ephesians 1:7!)
I am forgiven. My focus isn’t my behavior–bad or good. My focus is on my Savior.
I need to let go of all my “too”s.
I need to Let God be my Savior and surrender to Him my behavior.
And Gratitude
from my journal:
Today I’m praying…
- …for motivation to work on my desk 15 minutes a day so that by July 1 it’s “done.”
- …to hear Your words, not mine, as I face all this “stuff” that I need to let go.
- …that I can figure out how to make my office pretty, not just practical!
Today I’m watching for…
- …other areas of the house that probably are driving my Melancholy husband bananas.
- …ways to have some Sanguine fun so that all work and no play doesn’t make Cheri a dull girl.
- …chances to share the abundance of “unburied treasures” with those who can use them.
Today I’m appreciating…
- …the variety of opportunities You’ve given me.
- …the fact that I am never ever bored! 🙂
- …how good it felt to stop when that 15-minute timer went off.
Loved this post! I laughed out loud about the “hoarding post-it flag” part because I’m a “sanguine”… not so much with post-it flags specifically, but I will waste the silliest things while letting other more important things {i.e. gas!} slip through my fingers…
Alana — Oh, good. Glad to be a catalyst for laughter! Heaven knows (and I mean that literally!) we need more laughter in our lives. Our quirks are part of who make us who we are. 🙂
My desk is much worse than yours. There isn’t a spot in my house that couldn’t use 15 minutes at a time. Some may need 15 years. Not really but looking at everything makes me feel like I’ll never get it done. I’ve been so inspired by what you’re doing though that I’ve now purchased Kathi’s book and am going to start reading it this weekend.
Kristina — You’re going to love it! Mary DeMuth says it’s “the organizational book without shame”! Your comment about feeling like you’ll never get it done rings SO true for me… I struggle with “why bother?” defeatism all the time! When I injured my back 10 years ago, I couldn’t even do 15 minutes…I could only do 5 before I had to lie (lay?) down again. But I found that as futile as it seemed at first, those 5 minutes really did add up. Remember: be gentle and kind as you do this. (Easier said than done, I know…my short blog post for tomorrow is titled “HELP” and the “baditude” is GUILT!)
Ok, I LOVE this post! I never reply to anything I read, even if I really like it. But this one demanded a Thank You! I bought a desk organizer thingy TODAY at Staples and started stacking my important stuff in it. I figure neatly placed piles will look a bit better. I haven’t followed the plan yet, but I am thinking about doing something, as I did buy the organizer thing!
Thanks again for reminding me of God’s love and forgiveness.
Melissa — Thank YOU for your comment! One step at a time is the way we learn to walk…at anything.
I look forward to hearing about your next step! Take it with gentleness and confidence in God’s love.
LOL…I love the pictures and they definitely look like my desk. Well they would if I had one. Right now my desk is my kitchen table. I won’t be claiming that mine looks way worse because I just cleaned it a bit the other day! LOVE this post…it made me laugh and it is so true…for me anyway. 🙂
Mindy — Oh, good! So glad someone’s laughing! My Melancholy husband can’t believe I’m actually posting photos in public…after all these years, he should know that a Sanguine will do almost anything for a laugh! 🙂
I guess I must be Sanguine…. 😉 “Oh, that looks like my desk!” (And often, with great enthusiasm, “Only mine is way worse!”) LOL
Jennifer — LOVE the photo you posted to Facebook! Has “Sanguine” fun family written all over it! I see you’re a fellow binder organizer, too! (My poor Melancholy mother tried to teach me to use file folders, but out of sight = out of mind for me!)
Cheri, thank you so much for sharing. If you can give 15 minutes, so can I. I am now praying to devote 15 minutes a day, beginning with my desk. All this clutter and “baditude” needs to be removed from my life so I can concentrate on all the good and blessings.
Thank you
Becki — Girl, you are on! I’ve posted your note to Facebook and will be checking in there and here each time I do my 15 minutes!
I LOVE how you summarized TPC “lite” in a single sentence: “All this clutter and ‘baditude’ needs to be removed from my life so I can concentrate on all the good and blessings.”
AMEN! I’m not sure which is the chicken and which is the egg — does clutter lead to “baditude” or does “baditude” lead to clutter? — but letting go of BOTH is the way to Let God in! 🙂
I have a spare bedroom that needs some attention.
Heya Apple BLossom — What? I thought the whole purpose of a spare bedroom is to have stuff stuffed in so I can ignore it? 😉 I’m in the same spot. Watch for photos and a blog post next week…a total hodgepodge of scrapbooking supplies, ministry supplies, graduate school books, old photos and memorabilia…Christmas stuff that needs to get stored in the garage…oh, yes, now I remember why I’ve been ignoring it! 🙂
I want to let go of my plans for the day.
Lindsey — You are one brave woman! God honors prayers like that, you know…often by allowing ample opportunities for practice! Let me know how it goes: I need all the help I can get in that department! (I’d post a photo here of my color-coded daily planner, if I could!)
Thank you for these posts, it is actually inspiring some motivation in me to get organized and to appreciate the small things that get accomplished.
Staci — Great to hear! I’m finding that removing what I can easily take away is a great place to start. Quick results without any upheaval!