Saturday, December 06, 2008

OCD AND ME


OCD. What's that you may ask? Well, it seems I have OCD written all over my body (and house), and have been in complete denial until now...

You see, last Friday I visited my hairdresser. She hasn't been my hairdresser for long, but apart from the fact that she cuts really good hair, she and I clicked. And it was this particular visit that I realised why.

We were chatting about Christmas and my ever increasing desire to put up the Christmas tree (which you will be so proud was not put up until 30 November). She told me she hated putting up and taking down the Christmas tree, to which I responded, "Why?". After all, I thought she was like me...

Then she told me that she has a little OCD problem. OCD? Yes, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, she responded. Then she proceded to tell me her Christmas story from last year.

It was in January this year when she put down her tree. Yet afterwards she couldn't sleep. That's because she put all the baubles into the Christmas tree box. You know, loose-like. She couldn't bear to think of the baubles out of order like that. So in the middle of the night, she found all the original boxes and put the baubles back in the order in which she purchased them. You know, pink, then silver, then pink, then silver. You get the picture. As she was telling me that everything had to go back exactly the way she bought it, and then put the lights back also as she bought it, she whispered to me (so none of her staff or customers could hear over the nightclub music) "It's f@$#ing sick, is what it is".

But as I giggled nervously at her frankness, you can imagine my shock and horror to think there was actually something wrong with putting the baubles back into their original boxes (in order) and folding the wires of the lights just so it looked like it was brand new. I actually hadn't thought anything of doing just that.

And then just last week I was talking with one of my oldest and dearest friends, and during our weekly chat she stated, she might sound slightly anal for doing it, but she was going to buy boxes for her Christmas decorations this year and colour code them so she could coordinate different colours combinations in the years to come.

And I thought the idea was brilliant.

But then I thought, how come these people think that simply being organised is a sin? While I think that I am slightly anally retentive, I usually relish in my organising capabilities. (And some of my friends do too!)

This same friend then challenged me to go through my cupboards and my house to see what else I do that is slightly OCD. Then take a photo.

So then I did. And here's my list:


1. There are new matching wooden coathangers in our new wardrobes (my husband's shirts are in colour order from lightest to darkest, short-sleeves to long-sleeves).

2. Our clothes are also folded in colour order (from lightest to darkest).
3. I have an 8-week meal cycle complete with rice, pasta, roast dinner and soup nights.

4. My scrapping desk is something of an art form, but everything is in matching jars.

5. My Christmas tree has only three colours on it: blue, gold, bronze.

Okay. I don't think that anything there is TOO bad. But after some comparisons with friends, I have also discovered that...

What I do not have is:

1. Alphabetically ordered herbs and spices.
2. Tins in my pantry all facing the same way.
3. Every single article of clothing ironed before it's put away.
4. Photo albums.

So, putting all those very unorganised things aside, I think I could almost say I was a balanced person.

Aren't I?

5 comments:

  1. Your OCD is not a problem unless you make it a problem.

    Personally, whenever I come over and see your matching jars, organised kitchen and neatly folded, colour coordinated wardrobe ... I think jealous thoughts.

    I'm going to ask Santa for a little bit of OCD for Christmas this year. I will use it to replace my CLD (Compusive Laziness Disorder).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have randomly occurring periods of OCD... sometimes I have a floordrobe for days, but when I do put things away they are hung in lightest to darkest colours, short-sleeve to long-sleeve, just like you. (Same with Anika's clothes).

    I put away Anika's books at night, biggest to smallest, similar types together (eg: flap books together, board books together, etc.) and I get quite peeved if someone else puts them away in the wrong order.

    I don't have an 8 week meal planner, but I wish I did!!

    Don't change Kym. You are you and we love you for it. Embrace your OCD!! I have kept all the boxes my Christmas decorations came in... I wonder if I will use them. As I said, my OCD comes and goes.

    xox

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks so much for your support girls. I am forever thankful... and realise that we all have a little OCD in each one of us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Kym you just need to be married to a man that is the exact opposite to OCD!!! After 14 years of dealing with his mess, for your own sanity you will let most of these things go but the little things that you still have complete control over will remain like clothes on the clothes line ordered by which child they belong to, a set area for socks, jocks and towels. Thus when you remove from the clothes line and simultaneously fold them, they are in the perfect order to put away. It is the little things that you hold onto that remain a reminder to you that you were once so VERY VERY ordered in a time known as BH (before husband)!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh yes, I LOVE that idea with the washing. I remember you doing it once when I was there and decided it was a jolly good idea (since I hate sorting my clothes so much).

    Do you know I do that now too... put the washing in person order, and towels and sheets on a separate bit. Gotta love the Hills Hoist!

    Hmmm, perhaps I should have mentioned that in my OCD list? Ooops...

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your thoughtful and positive words and taking the time to comment. Love Kymmie. xx