Recently…I’ve been…cleaning out…the garage…the cabinets…the closet…whilst I was sorting…and deciding how to best store what remained…Bertha…strolled by long enough to remind me…of a principle that I read several years ago…in the book…Organizing From the Inside Out…by…Julie Morgenstern…
Essentially…it said…that it didn’t matter how fancy or expensive your organization system is…if it isn’t convenient…you won’t use it…
The wisdom of that statement…has proven itself to me time and time again…as I have moved at least three times since reading it…now…I try to look at each item…and consider its use…how often I use it…and how convenient it needs to be…obviously…the coffee maker…wouldn’t get returned to the garage on a daily basis…and…sits on the counter…the pancake griddle…on the other hand…can be stored in the cabinet…and brought out on special occasions…before relegating it to a new home…
I also set my office up at work…using the same principle…how convenient will it be to file a document…do I have to get up and walk across the room…or…can I just swivel in my chair…
I took the reminder…and continued sorting and storing…thinking…that was that…but…we’re talking…Bertha…so…of course…she said it reminded her of my life…
Huh…
First…she brought up…exercise…it doesn’t matter how expensive the gym membership…or…the sports equipment…if it’s not convenient…I’m not going to do it…
Hmmm…
Then…she continued with…diet…again…it doesn’t matter how incredible the plan is…if it isn’t convenient…I won’t stick with it…
Hmmm…
Lastly…she mentioned…spiritual practice…again…reminding me…that if I make it too complicated…have to be in a certain chair…at a certain moment…after fasting…or…whatever limitations I might put on it…I won’t do it…
Hmmm…
And…she’s right of course…I have found all of those things to be true as well…now…I wonder…how will I store this…wisdom…so that I can easily retrieve it…
Jane