Pain and suffering...

I had a few responses to my last blog about being organized, asking for my advice. Well, readers, I hate to tell you that my ascent into organization comes from (re-read title of the blog now) pain and suffering. Or substitute agony for one of those words, that would work too. It comes from spending 9 hours of entering grades and comments the night before report cards are due (not only once, but 4 times last year!). So now I work harder at entering my grades. It comes from standing in front of an audience of 20+ people and not having a clue what you're talking about...It doesn't so much matter that they are under the age of 11, you still feel so dumb. After about, oh, a million times of that, now I work harder at planning my classes. It comes from the number of kids I've failed by teaching them not to the best of my ability; kid's respect is not an infinite well, especially when you only get to see them twice a week for 9 months. So, there you have it. My advice on being organized.

I won't leave you with that depressing note, because I do have some real tips, stuff that I read in magazines (Martha, even though you went to jail, I love you!) and things that other people told me:

1) EVERYTHING has a home. Always put your keys in the same place, every day, everytime. Same goes for watch, glasses. and wallet. Rubber bands, twist ties, those tools that comes Ikea stuff that you never will use again but can't throw out, they all need homes. Even if you have a box in the corner for everything that has no home, then it has a home. I am a total cheapskate,too, so I don't have wicker baskets, matchng plastic bins with wheels, etc...I save milkcartons and cut the tops off, margerine containers, sour cream conatiners, etc. (There are tonnes of great ways to decorate these, if you get really motivated ;)
2) Make an 'important papers' drawer and box and everytime you think of it repeat to yourself "My passport is in the _______. My marriage license is in the ______. My bank book is in the _______." Proclaim it; it is a sacred place! Then you won't forget where the 'safe' place is.
3) Thoroughly put away your groceries. Take the puddings and yogurts out of the cardboard holder and throw it out. Take the plastic outer wrap off the cheese slices and the things that come in groups of two. Wash the lettuce and put it in a bowl. Divide the meat into your desired portions, wrap and freeze. Take the paper blockers out of the tops of the spice jars. Cut open the suagr and fill the canister, ditto for salt shaker, etc. All of this won't take as long as doing each step on its own over the next week...And when you are in a hurry its ready!
4) Choose what you want to wear the night before
5) Decide what you'll take for lunch the night before. (I don't make my lunch the night before, but if I were really organized I would)

That's all for now...Hope this helps! Actually, you helped me because it is a secret dream of mine to be a writer, even columns for a home magazine or something... someday when I have something to offer! Or learn how to speak English better than my 6th graders.