I am a mother hen! What's your home organising personality style?

I found this interesting personality test that describes how you run your home.

I am a mother hen - see below...

You are a Mother Hen
You have the hands that build the foundation! Your home is your feathered nest.

There's no place like home! Or at least, that's the belief that you and Dorothy hold in common. You are the guardian of the group, making sure everything is running smoothly and according to plan. You talk about concrete things, what you can see, feel, and touch. And as far as your mode of action, you do what is right. Staying within parameters, and following the rules are at the top of your list.

The strength of any structure lies in its foundation.

You are very careful about every move you make. And when you are getting ready to undertake anything, you go into it fully prepared and with plan B, C, and D in your back pocket. Some people may view this attitude as pessimistic, but you are just being realistic. Things can and will go wrong, and you don't want to be caught out in the rain wearing cashmere.

You know instinctively that there is a right and a wrong, and you see it as your task in life to keep your world (as well as the that of everyone around you) on the straight and narrow as much as humanly possible. You are the first to volunteer to help out and can always be depended upon. When you hear the adage, “10% of the people do 90% of the work,” you are the 10%.

You have a gift. With your cautious nature, you won't be the woman caught with her pants down. When opportunity pops his head up, you will be the one fully prepared to take advantage of the situation. Everyone else around you is gifted as well, for you are the guiding force in any setting. Because of your involvement, things happen. You are the steady force that keeps everything running smoothly and the glue that holds it all together.

What about you?

July 2006 - organising challenges

Week 1 – Organise your shower/s.
Go through your shower caddy and throw away empty bottles of shampoo, shower gel, bits of soap, etc. Look at each item and ask yourself if it needs to be there. Make a commitment this week to use up the bits of shampoo and conditioner.

Do you have to put some Handy Andy and a scouring sponge in the shower? It takes just 2 minutes to clean a wall every morning and by the end of the week, you’ve done the whole thing. Might as well do something useful while you’re in there!

Week 2 – Organise the inside of your fridge.
Label the shelves of your fridge. I did mine about 3 weeks ago after reading about the idea on one of my favourite blogs. I thought I’d see how well or badly it went before telling you guys about it. And... it is working great.

I did mine on blue post-it notes (medium size cut in half length-wise) so that if I wanted to change things, it would be easy.

I have labels for bread, milk, cheese, prepared vegetables, food to be eaten (this is the best one - lots of stuff used to grow mould in the fridge because we didn’t know what there was or what had to be eaten. Now it is sooo easy and I have not thrown food out for weeks), etc.

It is easy to pack things away in their proper place and you can immediately see if you need to replenish any foodstuffs.

Try it - you’ll be hooked.

Week 3 – Declutter your make-up and toiletries.
Let's start with the toiletries first. Set your timer for 5 minutes and go through everything in your bathroom. Gather all the stuff you don't enjoy using or that you only have little bits left. Maybe you were given some as gifts and you don't enjoy the fragrances. Take them to a shelter for homeless people or an orphanage. [I went to a Shape workshop recently and they asked all the ladies to each bring a toiletry item for someone less privileged. I think this is a wonderful idea and might just use this for my future workshops. It's R10 - R15 for us and means SO much to someone who needs it.]

Set your timer again and now go through your spare toiletries in your bathroom cabinets, or those from hotels, or in your suitcase (if you keep a travel bag packed like I do).

If you have lots of foam bath and don't have the time for long baths, then use it as shower gel or liquid hand soap. Old shampoo can also be used as liquid hand soap.

Now, onto the make-up. You gals know the drill - any eye make-up, especially mascara, older than 6 months and definitely older than a year should be thrown out. Also toss all old lipsticks and really anything that you don't love, that doesn't look good on you or has changed texture, shade, etc. Thick nail polish belongs in the trash.

Week 4 – Organise and clean your car.
Remove everything from your cubby hole, boot, side pockets, etc. and remove anything and everything that doesn't belong. Return items to their correct places and throw the rubbish away.

Now, give your car a good clean or take it to the car wash. Once clean, repack only those things that belong in your car. Make a point of doing a quick maintenance run every weekend when you're filling up with petrol.

In my car, I have my service manual, map book, sunglasses, CD case, notebook & pen, wet wipes and a few plastic bags. I also have my two canvas shopping bags in a box in my boot so my shopping doesn't tumble around. It is a good idea to keep a couple of plastic bags in your cubby hole for anything you need to throw away. Whenever I drive back from the gym, I always have a fruit (usually apples, my favourite) on the way back home and I throw the core or peels in a little plastic bag. At the end of the week, out it goes.

People often say how clean my car is and that it still smells new - that's because I don't allow eating (except for the fruit) or smoking in my car :)

P.S. I’m compiling these challenges into an e-book, which will be available at the end of the year.