I get asked this question a lot.  I guess people assume because I have an “organizing” blog that I must be fairly organized…you’d think so, but no.

The truth is I’m chronically disorganized my nature.  My home is far from perfectly clean and I have to force myself to keep it up.  There are people who can achieve a perfect home, happy and well behaved children, work full time and do it all without breaking a sweat.  I am not that person, not even close.  I’m a mess inside and that mess spews out of me from time to time.

My purse is a holy terror of a mess..I could lose one of my kids in there and my van is even worse.  My desktop on my computer is where I save EVERYTHING…no folders…just a bazillion icons all jumbled together. I really struggle with purging kids stuff and the result is way too many toys, clothes and art work.  I only have one white board calendar to keep track of events.  If I have an appointment two months from now, it will be forgotten because I just don’t keep track of anything other than the current month.  My point is, I’m a fraud.

I’m working on it though…I will probably be working on it the rest of my life, but I am not letting it take over my life.  I am addicted to Pinterest, but when I see pictures of those perfect closets and museum like pantry’s, I’m jealous, but I also think it is ridiculous.   Who seriously has that kind of time and money?  If I had an extra thousand dollars laying around, I certainly could find better things to do with it than buy closet organizing systems and baskets.  Dollar store bins work just fine and if something is going to take me more than 1 hour to accomplish, I get bored and lose interest.

Even though I’m not a shinning example of organization, I have found systems that work for me and my family.  I will continue to share with you ideas and tips that have made my life easier, because that is what organization does for me, it makes my life better.  For me,  it’s not about having a magazine worthy home, it is about saving time and creating the most beautiful and functional home I can, without spending a lot of money.

So here is my advice.  I know how easy it can be to get discouraged by your home (I get bummed about my home DAILY).  It may not be as big enough or as nice as your friends house.  It may be dated or have things about it you just can’t stand.  You may have grown tired of cleaning up everyday just to have it be a mess again the next day.  If you have fallen out of love with your home and have just given up on it entirely, it’s not too late to turn it around.  Here is one thing I can promise you, if you show your home some love, it will love you back!

You may not have the money right now to make your home the way you want it, but cleaning and organizing it is free. It may not be magazine worthy, but making an effort to keep your home at it’s best will have a huge impact on you and your family’s happiness. Give your home a hug today!