An Inside Look at the Very Quirky…Deb Lee

An Inside Look at the Very Quirky…Deb Lee

Posted by Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® on July 19th, 2010 — 7 Comments
19

Jul

You can get to know a lot about someone by the books they read or even the music they listen to. When that person is your co-worker, you probably get more details that you ever thought was possible. Multiply that by a zillion if he or she is your roommate or spouse. What if that person were your friendly neighborhood blogger and pro organizer?

It occurred to me over the weekend that I’m a little quirky. I can hear some of you snickering right now. ;) I mean, I know I can be a bit off center sometimes, but this weekend, it sorta became more, ah, clear.

A little background…

I was being interviewed on Saturday at Starbucks for a local community publication and decided to grab a latte. Like a good citizen, I paid for my coffee, collected my change, put my coins inside the zippered section of my wallet, then turned my one dollar bill right side up (front facing out), and made sure that it wasn’t folded or creased.

I realized while putting my change away that this process was taking an extra couple of seconds and that someone was waiting to chat with me. I thought for a nanosecond that I might just throw it all in my wallet and fix it later, but my brain wouldn’t let me do that. So, I took the extra time to make sure my wallet was “right.”

This doesn’t sound so odd, does it? Seriously, who doesn’t want a nice, neat wallet? Why did this turn into my moment of clarity? Honestly, IDK. I was still thinking about it even after the interview was over and several of my unique qualities came to mind.

So, here is more of the quirkiness that is Deb Lee…

1. Toiletries. All shampoo bottles of the same maker must live together (same for the conditioners). That means the Paul Mitchell Awapuhi shampoo and conditioner must live in the same basket…and ALL labels on the front must face out so they can be seen. They cannot be laying down…must stand nice and tall. Did I mention that I have several types of “good for your hair” bottles? Sometimes, my “roomate” purposely turns them all around so they’re backwards. Yep, that adds a few seconds to my day.

2. Clothing. Ok, so let’s talk about clothing. I have to fold clothing in a special way. Sorry, I don’t give lessons, but suffice it to say that when my husband attempts to fold anything, I re-fold them. I’m sure it goes without saying that T-shirts are separated by color and sleeve length. Oh, and long socks do not live with short (sport) socks. There’s more where clothing is concerned, but I think you get the picture.

3. Dishes. When doing the dishes, I wash the glasses first, followed by utensils, and then plates/dishes. Isn’t that how everybody does it? …and when using a dishwasher, all utensils of the same type go in the basket together. Forks, spoons, and knives are not allowed to mingle with each other. Of course, that also means that glasses of the same height also live together for the short time they’re in the dishwasher.

4. Coffee. I have one of those fabulous coffee makers that you put pods in and a pod holder thingy. When I restock the pod holder, I put them in a specific order and all the same flavors are grouped together.

5. Spices. My spices are grouped together by type and then height order. I KNOW everyone does that! ;) Yes, all labels are facing out.

6. Decor. If I see a crooked picture or a tangled phone cord, I fix them. My most recent fix – the hotel I stayed in for the 2010 NAPO conference. One of the elevators had a crooked photo. It was a simple fix but when I tried to adjust the crooked items on one of the hotel tables, not even I could do it…because they were glued on!

Alright, that’s the last one that I care to mention, but I will say this, some of my oddities help me do my job well. I see the little details that someone else may not and structure is definitely my friend. They also help me at home, though that roommate I mentioned before might disagree. In some cases, they can slow me down, but more on that later.

So, what do you think? Am I super quirky or just regular quirky? What are some of your own “strange” behaviors and how do they help you?

http://www.theclutterprincess.com Janice Simon

Oh, Deb, you’re cracking me up. When growing up, we too washed the dishes in the same order you did. You did pots and pans last since they were the greasiest. I will admit that when I am in people’s offices, I straighten up the business cards in the holder without realizing it. When I did it at a psychiatrist’s office, I wondered if they were going to have me committed. Some quirks are just deeply engrained habits!
http://www.professional-organizer.com Ellen Delap

Love your quirky-ness! As an organizer I can totally relate! I also straighten pictures (and especially put labels on straight!) I am especially big on cleaning out my car at every stop, either at home or gas station. There is never a dish in the sink. I clean out my purse daily too! Thanks for sharing and giving us the opportunity to as well!
http://www.juliebestry.com Julie Bestry

Oh, Deb, almost none of this seems quirky to me. Which I suppose makes me quirky? My mother has to have the salt to the right of the pepper mill when they’re put back in their homes (but not otherwise). I have to admit, I never EVER wash dishes…they all go into the dishwasher…but I don’t think I rinse and put them into the dishwasher in any particular order, though I do have specific homes in the dishwasher for specific glasses, mugs, etc. (oh, and homes for specific odd mugs, such as the tall, weird one goes on the left, in the back.

But you didn’t say anything about straightening the books in the library or bookstore, or straightening the shelves in grocery stores. What? It’s just me? :-)
http://www.dallisonlee.com Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer®

@Janice, @Ellen, & @Julie: I’m glad to know that not only are you all fabulous, but you are also just as quirky as I am. ;) @Julie: You had me laughing re: keeping the books straight in the bookstore. I sometimes straighten up the stuff on the counters in bookstores. We are a fun bunch, eh? =)
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april

I just found this post through your May 2011 post. I have many of your “quirks,” too. (I’m not as picky about my wallet, but my husband is, & he does EXACTLY what you described.) I have my closet arranged like yours (by sleeve length, pants, skirts, extra-dressy, outerwear, etc. separate; then color coded), and I always group like utensils together in the dishwasher. My pantry is organized by “type”–baking supplies, sweet snacks, salty snacks, cereals, canned goods, pastas/grains, etc. Sometimes “having” to have something a certain way can slow you down, but for the most part I think it makes things run smoother. You are using your “quirks” to their highest potential. That’s exactly what kind of organizer I would want to hire! Keep up the good work :)
http://organizetorevitalize.com Deb Lee

@0b0d7c1957bdc577232816d6ff8e4cb4:disqus I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one that fanatical about having an orderly wallet! …and I appreciate the kind words. You sound pretty organized yourself. =)

I do agree that, for the most part, having things in a certain way really is a plus. It’s just really important to notice when they begin slow you down or become too complicated. So glad you stopped by and left a comment.DebP.S. Would love to see a picture of your pantry. There’s (almost) nothing nicer than a well organized pantry. =)

An Inside Look at the Very Quirky…Deb Lee

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Jul

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