No, I didn’t leave out the “O” in OCD. CD stands for chronic disorganization. Judith Kolberg in her book, Conquering Chronic Disorganization, states that a “Yes” answer to all three questions is an indicator of chronic disorganization:
- “Has getting organized been a challenge for you most of your adult life?”
- “Does being disorganized negatively affect your life in some way every day?”
- “Have you tried and failed to get organized by yourself?”1
If you found yourself saying, “That is me!” , remember that doesn’t mean you are flawed. You are simply wired differently, and the conventional organizing methods that are logic-based do not work well for you.
You may be an auditory or kinesthetic (action oriented) learner. You may form emotional bonds to objects that represent people or memories you love. You may need to see visual prompts, or touch your To-Do list in order to remember to get things done.
Since CD is not a disease, but a quality of life issue, there is no “cure.” Judith’s book does give hope that using one or more of her unconventional and fun ways to organize can lead to a breakthrough that is life changing. You may find yourself mirrored in one of the case studies that led to her using a particular method. The Muttering Game, Go Shopping, Build a Shrine, Space Travel, and Treasure Hunt are only a few of the over 20 innovative options Judith shares.
You and I know that there are times when our lives get hectic, or special circumstances cause homes to be more chaotic than normal. The resulting disorder is dubbed “situational disorganization” in organizing circles. When life settles down, order is reestablished fairly easily. On the other hand, chronic disorganization is severe, affects quality of life, and recurs without fail no matter what the circumstances.
There is hope in both cases! The last paragraph of the book can apply to all of us:
Don’t confront your enemy alone. Use an army of support for getting organized and for staying organized. If you use the methods in this book, you will keep disorganization from undermining your quality of life. But staying organized will never come easy and so you must use the most significant self-help tool that exists – your ability to ask for and accept help. 1
1 Kolberg, Judith. Conquering Chronic Disorganization: copyright 2006, Squall Press, Decatur, GA. 147 pages.