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Spring Over-Organization Syndrome[excerpt from Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat!] Spring isn't just all about pastel colors, blooming flowers, and baby birds. Noooo. In fact, spring brings on kinds of peculiar conditions. First there's spring fever which causes normally responsible people to sleep in late, skip classes and shirk off going to work just so they can take a walk in the park and feel the sun on their face. Then there's the typical colds and flu. And I don't even have to mention the allergies. But there's one condition that no one ever warns you about: Over-Organization Syndrome. Yes, it's true. It's as if every Spring, I'm suddenly infused with energy and flooded with ambition to fling aside the flannel robe and fuzzy slippers and pick up everything that's been laying on the floor since last winter. Now some of you are probably thinking, "So what? That's not so bad. I mean we all could use a little more organization in our life, you know." And, of course, you're right. But the problem is, you see, that once you start, things can get quickly out of control. One minute you'll find yourself leisurely color-coding the bath towels in the linen closet and the next standing over the Barbie Beach House sorting miniature shoes by color and heel height. No one knows what causes this. Some people might chalk it up to being a natural desire of renewal. More spiritual people might think of it as some kind of a supernatural experience. Me, I blame it on allergy medication. Take, the other day, for example. I woke up thinking, out of the blue, "Gee, I really should pack up the kid's winter clothes." And so I started sorting them. But that's not all. After that, I took down the curtains to wash and put fresh sheets on the bed. By lunchtime I'd moved on to the bookcase where I spent the rest of the afternoon putting the books into alphabetical order. Then, before I knew it, I started in on the kitchen junk drawer. The rest was a blur. Oh sure, you're probably thinking I could've stopped myself, but past experience has taught me that once you've caught Over Organization Syndrome it's best to just go along with it and let it run its course. And, believe it or not, there will come a day when you'll suddenly take a look around, and realize that you've now become an Officially Organized Person. You not only have all of the spices alphabetized and the wrapping paper in order, you are now among the elite who have Legos stored in matching plastic containers, separated by color. Of course, one of the big drawbacks to being so organized is that you can no longer find anything when you need it. One day last April it took us over two hours to find a pad of paper and a pen. We looked in all of the usual places like behind the entertainment center and on the floorboards in the back seat of the car. We finally found it by accident, lying in the top desk drawer EXACTLY WHERE IT BELONGED. The other drawback is that your title as an Officially Organized person never lasts longer than two months. Three tops. Just when you're getting used to it, the urge to organize goes away. And by mid summer the Hotwheels cars are back in the planter, the car keys are once again dangling from top of the TV antenna, and sorting anything by color becomes merely a laughable idea. I tell you, it's a funny thing, how nature works. --------------------------------------------------- Debbie Farmer is a syndicated parenting columnist and the author of "Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat!" (Hardback, 227 pgs.) available at bookstores, bn.com, or Amazon.com Sign up for Debbie's Free e-column at: www.familydaze.com Sign up to Mommy's Helper - Mom's Market Ezine for marketing tips, business resources, and much more. Receive Your F R E E Subscription Now! |