OK ... so The Wife is out of town (her Dad's having surgery down in Florida and she wanted to go down to lend some moral/logistical support), and her birthday is on Sunday. 90% of her birthday present is the trip down to Florida, but we were trying to come up with something that The Girls and I could do ... so came "The Clean-Up Project". Yesterday I got almost all of Daugther #2's room dug out (the only thing that's not done is re-mounting the blinds, but there are funky clips on that one that I think will require a second set of big-people hands), which was a minor miracle in and of itself. Today I started in on the large pile of stuff which is where Daughter #1's room is supposed to be. I've managed to dig out both of her closets, and transfer in some storage bins that had been out in the room, and I'm hoping that with those set up like that, it will provide enough space to let her get SOME organization in there.
This is really MY fault, of course, as a glance at this picture of my office would suggest that #1's "organizational" strategy is somewhat a copy of mine. However, I typically know where everything current is, it's just the "files" that are a problem (they are all still here, they just don't have any "place to be" once they've cycled off that big pile in front of my monitor). Also, in my further defense, my current desk arrangement is about 1/3rd as piled up as this picture, which was from a couple of years ago.
I keep harping on #1 that she really needs to do something other than drop any and everything ON THE FLOOR ... and have repeatedly tried to "organize" things like a box of art supplies, a box of "science kits", a bin with doll clothes, etc., etc., etc. ... which lasts about a week. It drives me crazy, because I'm so not a "when in doubt, throw it out" kind of guy, but I have to plow through nearly knee-deep stuff just to get to her desk to do stuff on her computer! Unfortunately, I was deeply scarred emotionally as a kid by having many of my favorite toys thrown out without any warning/consultation, so I am unable to put any serious pressure on her, beyond the (not hollow) threat that her Mother WILL throw stuff out, given a chance.
I hope I can convince her to work with me to get some new "system" set up in there!
