When Spring Cleaning Reveals Your Anal Character

Geek alert:  the following is an admission of geek guilt! Proceed with an open mind. We’ve all got geek tendencies in some aspect of our personalities.

Organize

verb

to systematize: to organize the files of an office.

This is what I love about Windows7. The filing system that it has fits so well with my way of organizing. 

My photos folder is like a mecca of organization and I feel a flutter of pleasure each and every time I have to go into it. Which can be several times a day. Constant flutters may explain my effervescent personality or perhaps the bubbly persona is the reason for the giddy pleasure over photo folders. It’s a chicken and the egg thing, I think.

Anyway, My Photos is so well categorized, it’s SCARY. I have a folder titled ME. In the Me folder are pictures of … yes, me! There are also other folders inside ME with names like “Headshots” “Weaver” and “Wedding.” I have a folder named FAMILY with subfolders titled “Veteran’s Parade” “Wyoming” and “Pets.” There are sub-subfolders inside the “Pets” folder named “Bunn Bunn” and “Blanco” There are a few things I’ve hedged on. For example, I have a folder titled AUTHORS, this is where I store all the headshots for the people featured on my blog or on the GAP Family Blog. But not all the people featured are authors. Some are bloggers, some are illustrators, editors, etc. I considered renaming the main folder HEADSHOTS, but the folders are listed alphabetically and I access this folder so frequently, that is it most convenient for it to start with the letter A. So I’ve left it.

It is unusual that I can’t remember where I’ve stored a picture, but it does happen. Most of the time it is if the picture could be categorized in different spots, because it has several family members (I have a separate folder for my husband and each of my children) and it is a specific event or trip. But even then it generally doesn’t take me long to find it.

My documents are filed the same way as well. I have an INTERVIEWS folder with subfolders named “With” “For” and “3x’s A Charm” In the For folder, the documents are saved under the name of the blog or host I’m completing the interview for. In the 3x’s A Charm folder the documents are saved under the date the interview is scheduled to run and then the interviewee’s name. It’s really beautiful. I wish you could see (but not touch). However, Word it isn’t as visually pleasing as Windows7. Windows 7 has the cascade of pop outs that entice you to open the folder and explore its contents.

I’m doing a bit of spring cleaning in my folders. Making sure things are categorized efficiently. If I didn’t know how anal it was, I’d pull out a ruler to make sure each folder is the same distance apart on the screen.

Why isn’t my real life as organized as my virtual life? Do you have any organization tips you’d like to share either in real life or your virtual life? Is there a certain aspect in your life that is organized in a way that makes your heart smile each time you see it?

Your turn.