Clutter doesn’t make me calm.

For the last couple of months, I have wanted to write some version of this post.  Or actually, posts.

Posts about busy-ness, organization, To Do lists, organization, schedules, organization, simplicity, organization, priorities, organization… YESs and NOs.

I love organization–I just haven’t been able to keep up lately.

This is my desk.  Actually, this was my desk on Tuesday night.

It usually doesn’t look this way, but somehow over the last three weeks I haven’t been able to get all of this “stuff” taken care of.

Clutter doesn’t make me calm.

Starting in the bottom corner is the Visionary Parenting book from a class that Garrett and I took last week.  I was planning on reading some of it on Tuesday while Jolie was sleeping, so I dropped it on top of my Bible.  My Bible is on top of my green and pink planner that I obviously didn’t open that day.  My planner is on top of another book, but next to my Flea Market Style magazine that I brought in from the living room.  Flea Market Style is on top of bills that I paid on Monday, but it is under my Jesus Calling devotional book.  I love Jesus Calling.  A dear friend gave it to me when Jolie was in the hospital.  Next to the devotional book are a couple of photographs of Jolie and Greyson.  Greyson was in his momma’s belly when I met her in Antepartum.  Then there is a yellow folder that holds greeting cards for the Card Ministry that I joined a couple of months ago.  On top of the yellow folder is a sheet of blank labels that I used when I was mailing a box earlier in the day.  At the inside desk corner is my coupon/gift card/checkbook/postage stamp/receipt pouch that usually stays in my purse.  I have no idea what is on top of the pouch.  At the back is a brown box with photocopies from a Homeowner’s Association meeting. And right before I took this picture, I was emailing about one of the websites that I’ve been working on. I’m sure there are website notes scattered in this mess, too. At the front of the desk is my small wallet that holds my ID, bank cards, cash and health insurance cards.

(PS: I don’t use credit cards. Ever. Like never, ever. Thanks, Dave.)

Health insurance cards!  That leads me to the reason for the REST of my desk mess.

My desk has not really looked this way for three straight weeks.  On Tuesday morning, I actually had two neat-ish piles of stuff to put away… but then I started digging around in our insurance folders trying to figure out some of Jolie’s denied claims.  I was also trying to get her Synagis approved.

The Synagis Saga is a separate blog post.

The “center madness”, that huge stack of papers… that’s Jolie’s medical bills and insurance paperwork.  I was on the phone with Health Alliance for 53 minutes Tuesday afternoon and spent another two hours playing phone tag with our pediatrician’s office, home health care and the specialty pharmacy. To the right of my laptop are the pen and large Post-Its that I was using to write notes to stick in the folder.  Time, date, customer service rep’s name, important conversation highlights.  At the far right is more of Jolie’s medical and insurance records that I was digging through.

A lot of trees were harmed in the making of this photo.

While on the phone with Health Alliance, I actually knocked the big folder off my desk and scattered papers across the floor.

Did I mention that clutter doesn’t make me calm?  Physical clutter OR emotional clutter.

Before the call with Health Alliance, I stuffed a granola bar in my mouth.  I was actually stress-eating BEFORE the phone call because I knew it would be a headache. There is just so. much. stuff. to sort through.

Tuesday was the height of my recent physical and emotional clutter.

This cat calms me down.

Actually, Smudge wasn’t sitting there to keep me company or calm me down.  He was sitting on my papers because he wanted to sit on my papers.

I’m happy to report that my desk is now spotless.

An organized desk (home, life, whatever) helps my head feel organized, too.  But more on that in a later post.

Getting calmer.  XOXO,
Jessica