The "New" Rules of De-Cluttering

So I'm not as much a slave to women's magazines as I used to be but I couldn't help myself with This March's Oprah magazine. Nothing I'm going to write about is up on their website yet, but there are some good ideas in there to help you in the never-ending quest to be organized which by definition means banishing clutter for good. I won't go through all the 13 "New" ways to declutter (as some of them are, ahem, old) but also because it's worth the $4.50 to read for yourself. I will, however, let you know which of these ideas will not work for some PixieTypes and which will work for all or might be a stretch.

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The Quiet Watch of the Lion Mama

A long time ago on an airplane ride going from New York to Cleveland, I was the mother of four- and two-year old girls who instead of screaming or climbing, or generally making a nuisance of themselves as many young children on airplanes are wont to do, one was quietly tracing her letters, while the other was quietly playing with dolls. Tiger mother anyone? Yeah, um, nope. Anyone who knows me, and my personality type, Organic Freedom (NFP) also knows that I would do anything to keep my kids occupied so I could be left alone to read a People magazine — think candy, Bendaryl, my iPhone, even Play-Doh. See, that whole personality type thing we keep going on about? Yeah, we're really born that way.

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Time Management or Sh*t I Almost Forgot to Write the PixieTip

Ah the trial and tribulations of being an Organic Freedom (NFP) in a Classic (SJ) and frankly Organic Structure (NFJ) and the Smart Structure (NTJ) world. These are those types who thrive on calendars and structure, routine and lists. As for me, I'm not one for such tedious chores. Mostly I rely on routines (or what I like to call habits, which are routines, that I like to do) to keep me remembering things. Plus the baby gets up at 7 no matter how late we put her to bed and the kids have to get to school soon after. For the afternoon stuff I have a lot of alarms programmed on my phone. But every once in a while "Acts of God" occur and I'm thrown off my game.

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The Help

I have an Organic Freedom (NFP) friend who has recently been relegated to her bed as she recovers from a major illness. Up until this enforced bed rest she had a pretty well-oiled tidy home for a working mom of three. I know, it's hard for some of you Classic (SJ) judgers (ahem, Kelly) to believe, but their are plenty of Organic Freedoms (NFPs) who are able to keep their house neat and clean even if it comes more naturally to Classics (SJs) and Funs (SPs). Just because they will tend to put up with a mess longer than Classics and Funs and their homes might be a bit rougher around the edges in style, it doesn't mean they actually like disorganization. And my friend is in despair because even though she has lots of help, without her physically moving through every room like the force of nature she is, the organized machine has ground to a halt.

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One Sock Is Not a Pair

Oh, I know I'm not alone in this. That single perfect sock that has no match. Maybe it's the romantic in me but it drives me crazy. Maybe even a little bit more crazy than crumbs in my bed. No wait, THAT is what drives me most crazy. But mismatched socks? I shudder. I know there are some people who can wear them. And I can if they're the same kind of sock, but different colors, it's a texture thing, like the crumbs. And I know what you're thinking...a loosey goosey Organic Freedom (NFP) like me shouldn't care about such things. But I DO. To distraction.

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