No, no, don’t worry – I’m still an atheist. But there is one purgatory that I do believe in: organizational purgatory. Despite my fondness for organization and cleanliness, I know that perfection just isn’t possible. Enter: purgatory. An organizational purgatory is that junk pile, junk drawer, or chair piled high with clothes that is just eternally messy (the kitchen sink, desk trays, entryway tables, etc). I think it was my high school best friend who referred to her junk pile as a “purgatory,” and I’ve thought of mine that way ever since and want to pass it on.
Purgatory can quickly become hellish (oh, I said it) if not kept in check. For instance, there is a section of my counter that is designated as paper/small object purgatory. This is where I keep things like mail that needs a response, receipts, and, currently, a shirt that needs a button repaired. If the mail goes unanswered or the receipts gather too heavily, then the system fails. But since this spot is highly conspicuous and in a place I spend a lot of time (yeah, the kitchen), items steadily stream in and out.
I also have a clothing purgatory because sometimes, ugh, it really is too hard to hang up that shirt when you get home. Clothing purgatory should never be a bed, a floor, or a sofa. Mine is a small stool that can’t have more than about 7 items on it without the pile toppling over. That way, even the shirts that I haven’t worn in a year will still get put in their proper place. I also have a bag that contains items I want to donate/sell, which I take care of based on how full it is. The annoyance of its obtrusion in my space is a great driver for me to make the trip to Goodwill.
So here’s the rules for managing your purgatory:
1) The area must be small (one drawer, one basket, one side of the desk, etc).
2) If an item doesn’t have a place in your home, make one. Don’t leave it in purgatory.
3) Keep the purgatory visible (under the bed will not work).
4) Make use of storage accessories to keep the area from just looking like a messy pile of crap.
5) Most importantly, you must tend to the items constantly – no less than once a month and maybe even daily.
I’ve been doing this for awhile and I like the idea of calling it Purgatory. Now instead of saying, “Please excuse my mess,” I can say “Oh that? That’s just Purgatory!”