Do it yourself

I got another add from a company that wants to clean my house today. Sometimes the idea appeals to me. I adore clean work and living spaces, but it's almost impossible to achieve unless I'm constantly running behind my two little mess-making cyclones (read: children).

So what's a girl to do?

Well, there's nothing wrong with cleaning your own toilet. I think it keeps you humble ... in a good way. Do you think Mark Sanford would have had time to run around with his Argentine hottie if he was busy cleaning up his own messes? It's a funny idea.

But on a serious note, my real resistance to hiring a cleaning service—beyond cost—is guilt. A few years ago, I read Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. The premise is fantastic. Barbara takes a series of minimum wage jobs to demonstrate how people can't survive on minimum wage. One of the jobs she took was with a cleaning service.

And we should all be ashamed. These (mostly) women are hardly more than slaves, just so everyone in America can afford to have someone else wash their floors and wipe their windowsills.

So I say, "No thanks." I'd rather scrub my own floors. It's character building, right? That's what I tell myself. At the very least, it keeps me humble.

The ugly mail pile

Today when we arrived home, I walked in to a mountain of mail. I do not exaggerate; my table was piled with mail. True, we've been traveling but even taking our trip into account, the sheer volume of paper was overwhelming.

I have a confession: I can't stand clutter. The mere thought of messy stacks makes me edgy. Typically, I deal with the mail as soon as I pull it out of the mailbox. This technique saves me time and eliminates potential crankiness. The evening's wasted hour and a half has solidified my commitment to a few important clutter-busting habits.

1. I will open and handle the mail as it comes in each day.
2. The mail will go directly to its designated spots, keeping my kitchen table and counters pile-free.
3. I'll sign up for e-delivery to reduce my paper consumption.

What will you do to organize your life today?

Pantie problems

Is your life like your underwear drawer?

My bra and pantie cubby is overflowing. Some of it doesn't fit anymore. There are a few items that have been hanging around since 1997. And I can't seem to let any of it go.

The problem is, I expect a lot from two little articles of clothing. And I hold onto my favorites way too long. Sometimes I need my underwear to be comfortable. Sometimes I want it to match. And sometimes I just want it to be invisible. (Have you ever noticed how the really cute bras and panties aren't comfortable?) So some are for wearing, some are for sharing, and there are pairs I'll only wear as long as no one ever sees me in them.

Here's my problem. I haven't taken the time to get organized. And I suspect if I spent a little time I could find more sets that meet both needs—cute and comfortable. Until I get organized I'm always going to be pulling out mismatched sets that disappoint.

Do you have similar underwear woes or other other areas of disorganization in your life? I'd love to hear your stories.

My three things I'm going to do for myself today:

1. Give myself at least 15 minutes to read.

2. Give myself at least 45 minutes to write.

3. Give myself a facial.

What are you doing for yourself today?