Healing Properties of Neatly Arranged Rows of Mustard

Honestly, I didn't get much de-cluttered yesterday, as I had a late meeting and not much time before dinner.  Then, Michael had the brilliant idea of not cooking dinner and going, instead, to The Elephant Walk, just 5 minutes away, for dinner. Which was AMAZING. I had forgotten how good their food was.  We started off with these fancy scallops served with crab ravioli thingies, and then Michael had a tuna dish (of course) and I got adventurous with shrimp sautéed in a lightly sweet Cambodian satay sauce with coriander, cumin, cardamom, galangal, cinnamon, ginger, peanuts, star anise and lemongrass; with button mushrooms, red bell peppers, onions and scallions. It was sweet and spicy and so good that I even ate the peppers and onions!

But I digress. The point is, by the time we got home I was tired and full and lacking motivation.  I sat down to start our thank-you cards for our holiday gifts (my mother always insisted on them and I haven't outgrown the guilt that comes from blowing them off.)  I'm writing my first card when the following exchange happens:

Michael: Where are my headphones?
Me: In the cube with the rest of your computer stuff.
Michael (with an exasperated sigh): I always put them on the side table right here. (pause, then pointedly) On purpose.
Me (with the calm perspective of the organized): Headphones don't go on side tables, honey.
Michael: (stomps--good-naturedly--over to cube, 3 feet away, grabs headphones, gives me a look that says How long are we going to play this ridiculous organizing game?)
Me: (in my head) At least until the end of January, my friend.

By the time thank-yous were done, I just really didn't have the energy to go farther down the de-cluttering road.  I tried to justify it by saying the idea of having to write the thank you cards had been cluttering my mind and to-do list, but Michael wasn't buying it.

But then--my truly thoughtful friend, Alexis, sent me an article called 26 Organizing Tips That Actually Work and I was saved! Because that counts as research! And, indeed, I found several items I was proud to say I already do, and several good ideas to move me forward. In fact, by the time I was done reading, I felt inspired to organize something.  But by then it was after midnight, so I was forced to call it a day.

As I went to steal some healthy berries from the fridge I asked Michael if he was enjoying our newly expansive and clean fridge.  To which he replied, "actually, it kind of freaks me out." Perhaps I should have stopped to clarify which part freaked him out.  Like--was the emptiness mocking his lack of real food? Does the idea of the army of condiments overpowering the small collection of fresh produce bother him?

Or is it the fact that his wife is crazy enough to really, really enjoy (and be inspired by) all of this cleaning and organizing?  Or perhaps that his wife literally feels better (and is far nicer) with all that open space and the neatly arranged rows of mustard and preserves?



Does anyone else have any inspiring articles/research to share??