Organizational Struggles

I am trying to be organized, which doesn't come that naturally for me. Actually, that isn't totally accurate. I would LOVE to be organized and I often have many good organizational ideas, it is the implementation that often goes by the wayside!

I am trying to create a list that has blog ideas and topics. Of course, for the last week I wrote out a different blog topic suggestion in my calendar for each day. Many days I left my calendar in my van and didn't know what the topic was, other times I just didn't feel like writing about that, or even...I didn't have pictures to go with it! Now, I know that not every blog post NEEDS pictures, and I am wracking my brain trying to figure out what I am going to put with this post, but I think they look nicer with pictures!

So as I sit and think about what topics to cover, I wonder, why am I bothering! I mean, I have 6 whole followers! I have no clue how to put my blog out there. I have no idea what the basic theme of my blog would be anyway (except extremely random!) and no clue who would be interested in my Ramblings! Then I realize that blogging has really helped me with some focus, some organizational skills and also just rethinking things or reflection personally. So I guess I will continue! And I think I like not having a theme. I have a friend who has a theme (check out http://livingholyandwholly.blogspot.com/ and tell Casey hello!) and that is wonderful! She has a TON of amazing things to say about being healthy! Me, not so much! I struggle to remember to eat breakfast in the mornings! And exercise is hit or miss! I start with great intentions and then I just let it slide!

I look a tiny little bit on pinterest and I think things look neat, but I have no clue how to really search or what to really do about it! And looking nice and working in our family are two totally different things! I have thoughts and ideas about organizing, especially in our basement, but it takes so much time and effort to clean it out, purchase and create the organizing system and then convince the kids to actually use it! Am I happier when organized! YES! Do I have some areas where I am organized, YES!

Actually, I am quite proud of parts of my pantry! Notice I say PARTS OF! Well, here is an example where being organized SOUNDS great but doesn't work well if I am the only one who tries! Notice the paper in the top right of the picture above? It is a diagram of my pantry shelving and the basic type of things that belong on each one. So on this section you have pasta and rice on the top shelf, parts of dinner on the next (chicken broth, etc.) Stand alone dinner items like soups are on the next shelf, etc. Great thought! Right? Even looks nice! Well, that is because it is the top couple of shelves! I promise! See, this next picture is the top couple shelves of the other half of the pantry.

Nice and neat and hanging between them is the bag for holding recycled plastic bags. The next few pictures show the lower levels. You know, where the littler hands can reach!

 WOW! Disaster areas! Bags, open packages, things falling off the shelves! It is so hard to teach all of the kids (and the hubby) to keep it neat! I admit, I am not perfect! I have been known to put something on the wrong shelf when I am not paying attention or if one shelf is full. But I can say that my organizing pays off too! When it comes time to create my grocery list, I can just open the cupboard and LOOK at my shelf to know if I am low on pasta or rice or anything else! And even if something is missing, I can look at my diagram and know what is supposed to be there!

Does anyone else struggle in the organizational areas? Do you have anything that really works for you? Please share!