Would you like a pocket for that?

So, here's a confessions: I love organising. I have written about this before in my old blog, but it is just something I am quite obsessive about. If there is one thing that totally messes me up it's clutter and untidiness. Also dirt bothers me, and smudges and caked-on goo. Family, friends and families I have worked for will tell you I cannot let messy things be messy. Especially cupboards. 

My first ever self-designed and handmade bag

And if you work with children, who are the opposite of organised, it helps to be organised. Take, for example,  my handbag. It is a product of this very passion for organising. I used to buy bags, preferably with lots of pockets. But my problem was that there were never enough pockets, they were not the right size, and never in the right place. And on the off chance I would find a bag that would have quite practical pockets, those bags would be boring and/or ugly. And I am neither of those things. So, out of frustration, I designed and created my own handbag. One that was not only nice looking, but also had 21 pockets. All in the right place for my particular things. 

Current Bag

26 Pockets

Since then, I have made a few more bags, in particular I have made some nappy bags, because I always found flaws with those when out and about with babies as well.  My latest handbag design has 26 pockets, teo pen holders, two key hooks and of course, a stylish design. I am quite pleased with the bags I've come up with so far. So much so that I am pondering if I should start selling them.  Of course I have nothing on my favourite luggage designer Tom Bihn and his super practical designs, but we're not in competition. 

Interior, with cool compartment

Folds open into nanny change station

First attempt Nappy Bag

I carry a lot of practical things around. All in their own pockets. In this department there is also someone who totally trumps me here, my best friend Phiroze, but he and I are not in competition either. He overrules me when it comes to awesome lifestyles and practicality, but I kick his butt when it comes to being practical in a stylish way. We're both total geeks, only I hide it better. He carries his stuff around in a pouch on his tummy, where as my stuff is all organised in my bag. If you saw us together, you would not say we are basically the same person. But we are. He is my male BFF on the other side of the planet. But adventures are global so we're ok.  I miss him though.

So, my handbag is the pinnacle of my organised life. Also the pride, I would say. One of my favourite things I like to hear is 'I like your bag!' but also 'I like your blog!' I also have a super organised kitchen. Oh, how I love my kitchen, and how hard I find it to cook in other people's kitchens. My car is also organised, the boot has a fold-out organising compartment in it. And then there is my wardrobe. My tops are stacked by color and sleeve-length. Yes. I know.  I fold socks and undies. Forgive me. Here's the ultimate proof I have no children: I iron my bed sheets and fold them into perfect rectangles. Yes, the fitted mattress covers too. 

My favourite feature of our house: my architecturally designed laundry chute from the bathroom into the laundry. No dirty laundry on my bathroom floor, no sir-ee!  I know, fancy, right? And architecturally designed too. By that, I actually am saying that my husband designed and built it, because he is an architect. And a wonderful man, too, which is lucky.

My husband and I have actually designed and built pretty much all the storage spaces in our house,  he did most of the building and I did most of the telling what I needed. 

A big part of my organised life has also been helped very much by my wonderful Apple products, my iFamily; baby iPhone, teenager iPad and dad MacBook Air. And no, I am not endorsed by Apple. Nobody is. Apple doesn't need to pay people to promote their products in their blogs, because people just rave about them regardless.  I have a perfectly synced life, my notes, my addresses, my photos, are on all my devices all the time. I love that. I'm never looking for anything for very long.

I don't just limit my organising urges to my own life. I like to spread the love and organise other people's houses, bags, lives. Families I've worked for have on occasion come home to a fully organised cupboard or two, and none of them have ever complained. 

When I visit my mother's house, I always get into all her kitchen cupboards and clean them out and re-organise them. She still loves the fact that I've moved all her plastic containers from a high cupboard into a low drawer for easy access. I generally don't limit my organising to her kitchen, actually.

I can't stand clutter, it makes me feel anxious and unsettled. Sorting through things, organising them, throwing things out, it all makes me feel calm and clear. I am a bog fan of labels, too. I enjoy going to storage stores and buying boxes and storage solutions. When all is sorted and cleared, I get a lovely feeling on accomplishment and satisfaction. 

So...you got any rooms/bags/lives that need organising? I am for hire!