I have always thought of myself as an organized person. I use lists to keep tasks in order; I utilize drawer dividers to keep things tidy, and I group like-items, But when I visit our daughter, Jennifer’s house, where everything is labeled, orderly, and beautifully arranged, I always feel that I’ve missed the mark. I’ve told Jenn for years that she should be a professional organizer. She just has the knowledge, the knack, and the love of organization.

This week, Jennifer came to spend some time with us. I had just started to rearrange things in my pantry and asked her to take a look to see what she thought. Her eyes grew a bit larger, a tiny smile crept upon her face, and she asked very sweetly, “Would you like me to organize it for you?” “YES!,” I replied, probably more quickly than she had expected. “Would you?…. Would you mind ‘working’ on your respite time here?” She was rubbing her hands together in glee and said she couldn’t wait to get started. It’s not work for her. It’s fun.

The next day we went into town and bought baskets and containers, labels, and markers. We were exhausted when we got home, but Jenn couldn’t wait until the next day to get started. Even as I was headed to bed, she was pulling things out of the pantry. The kitchen light was still on long after I went to sleep.

Wow. Just wow was the first thing I thought and the first thing that I said.

My next thought… and my next statement was…” Hmm… have you seen my over-flow panty?” “Hmmm.. yes,” she replied.

“What about the refrigerator?” I asked. 🙂

There’s no before picture here…. that I’m willing to post. I can only take so much embarrassment in one day.

Today we are tackling a closet.

It’s super fun to have Jennifer here for so long. It’s even more fun to work together on these projects. And it’s a blessing beyond measure to have this work done and off my mind.

If you’re interested in becoming more organized, How to Put Your Pantry in Order (and Stop Wasting Food) is a great article to help you get started in the right direction. Create a plan and get started. You’ll be glad you did.