"O.C.D. and Me"

            I understand the need to have things in order. Organization reduces my anxiety, keeps my edges smooth if a day becomes particularly frazzling. Some of my compulsiveness became honed during the years Dad spent in the Air Force. White glove inspections are not a myth. I remember before one move, Mom spent days spit polishing the wood floors and scrubbing the bath tub and sinks immediately after every use. Then she hired a cleaning service to come through our quarters for one final cleaning.

            That upbringing remains part of my nature to this day. When I tackle our home, I utilize a top to bottom method that stretches from the tops of doorways to the woodwork near each floor. A sister-in-law commented once that my walls never had any smudges from my son or his constant parade of friends. I told her that I wiped down our walls every week. She shook her head in disbelief that I’d incorporated that into a regular routine.

            All drawers in the house adhere to a strict discipline. My closet, too, reflects my quirky neatness. I arrange my clothing by type: pants, tops and dresses. Then I tidy everything by length and color. Finally, my around the house clothing gets isolated from my work clothing. If I’m going to splash bleach on anything, it’ll be something old. When I taught full time, I once picked up a note being passed between two girls. It said, “Ms. Chapman may be a bitch, but she has cool shoes!” At that time, my shoe collection had its own little cubby that stayed ordered by season, heel height, and color. Retirement means I’ve minimized my shoes down to the basics that I arrange by season and color.

            In recent years, I think because my work week varies from school to school, I’ve developed a technique of making certain I never leave anything behind. This method focused upon my tote, and originally I used it before leaving a campus. This year, I do the ritual before leaving the house each morning and before leaving work each afternoon. I preform the routine diligently and sequentially about 15 minutes before I leave: Phone-zipped into one compartment. Lunch bag and water bottle. Journal. Calendar. Spiral. Book. Every item in its space. Then I zip up the bag and set it onto my bed in the morning or the floor next to my feet at the school. Right before I leave, I unzip and do one more check. I believe this procedure keeps me from leaving anything behind that I may need once I change locations. It keeps my anxiety lower to know I won’t have to make unnecessary trips back to a campus.  

            My habits allow me to spend less energy on searching for a missing pair of shoes or getting to work without my phone. For me, a little O.C.D. goes a long way!

Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman