About

Hello, my name is Shara and I'm a recovering perfectionist...

Yep.  Perfection has always been one of my crutches.  As most organizers do, I view the world through an orderly lens, constantly trying to turn a heap of jigsaw puzzle pieces into a visual masterpiece.  But don't fret, even though my default setting is "organized," I do understand the efficiency of disorder, where a mess can actually lead to a better solution!  Check out my introductory post here!

Why organizing?

I have been organizing all my life.  There are stories galore about my feats of tidiness and ability to pack many things into an itty bitty living space (insert picture of Genie from Aladdin) ever since I was a toddler.  I guess bringing order to chaos has always kinda been my thing - from organizing my class notes to the glove compartment in my car to my thoughts on various topics.  I'm the type of person who needs a neat working space before I can get started.  I appreciate the purpose of a meeting agenda, the clarity of an chapter outline, and the value in creating white space.  Clutter makes me itch like wearing a wool sweater without an undershirt - both visually and mentally.  The silver lining is that I believe God placed this talent and passion within me and I'm willing to follow though with it for His glory.

One of my favorite sayings is that "there is wisdom in simplicity and simplicity in wisdom."  However, the caveat is that not all simple things are easy and this is where most of us get discouraged.  There is relief that solutions don't have to be complicated to be sophisticated.  Albert Einstein says "make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."  This approach applies to so many things, ORGANIZING included.

Why introspection?

By nature, I am a very introverted person and could happily live out my days caught up in a book, contemplating life and its composition.  I firmly believe that introspection is a skill (yes, a SKILL), one that requires more of ourselves as we develop it.  As Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." For instance, the first step to changing is to do a personal inventory of where you are compared to where you want to go or who you want to be.  That's introspection.  It encompasses the first step in setting a goal and the continued practice of building your character.

So, in my opinion, everyone can become an organized person the same way that everyone can become a healthier person.  For instance, not everyone likes to run, but everyone can find some activity that they DO enjoy and can aid them in having a more active lifestyle.  Same goes for organization because once you understand and accept the way you are wired, the closer you are to finding a organizing system that works for you.

What else?

Well, I'm a chemical engineer from Georgia Tech and youngest sibling of three from the hills of East Tennessee.  My favorite person is my husband and we are both foodies.   When I'm not organizing, you can find me reading (non-fiction is the genre of choice lately), watching Big Bang Theory, or spending time with my family.  And, if you're interested, I'm an INTJ!

My Myers-Briggs Personality: INTJ