I’m the type of person that likes to do what I hate the most first. I like to get it out of the way. For some reason, I hate to set the table. When I worked, I did it before I went to work so when I got home, it was already done.
Now that I’ve gotten older there are just certain things that really bother me. I can’t imagine having a sink full of dirty dishes. I hate the way that looks and I think about it until I do them. So, for me, I do them as they get dirty, they never pile up. When I’m done with my coffee for the day, I get it ready for tomorrow. I go even one step further, I also get my filter ready for the next day. So I always have coffee ready to go if someone comes over and wants it.
If I’m emptying the dishwasher, instead of putting all the dishes away, I’ll set the table no matter what time it is. Even at noon!! I won’t always set it set it but I will put the dishes, silverware and glasses on the table instead of having to get them out later. When I go to bed at night, I’m completely ready for when I get up. I have my coffee cup sitting upside down with my spoon on a napkin so all I have to do is POUR THE DELICIOUS start up fuel I need, right-now….right-now!!
I guess what I’m saying is if I can get anything ready ahead of time, that’s what I do. If I know I have to set my alarm, I set it a day ahead. I like to know what I’m wearing a week (well, maybe not a week!!!) ahead so I can make sure it’s ready. I plan meals days in advance. I don’t wait until my gas gauge says empty, I fill it before it’s empty. I’m just not good at flying by the seat of my pants and I worry about the little things I have to do so I get them out of the way as soon as I can.
Am I a weirdo???? Is there anyone else out there like me????
Us Girls..Our Views 
I’m like that about some things, but carefree about others. It also depends on my mood at any given time.
I find it very hard to get up in the morning, so if I HAVE to get up to catch an early plane or something, I will try to get a lot done the night before, with the result that I don’t sleep enough and I have an even rougher start. So to some extent it’s a compulsion. But, part of it is just old age and experience. I don’t think as well in the morning, so if I can do most of the thinking the night before, things run more smoothly.
Other than the morning stuff, I honestly can’t tell you if planning ahead has better results than dealing with things as they come up. Sometimes I can get stuck in a rut if I plan too much. It’s good to mix it up sometimes.
Well … getting the worse done first doesn’t really work here.. Both because we have kids and it is sometimes more important to care about them than to care about the dishes or something else..
When it comes to other things.. like setting the alarm a day ahead, planning the week with what I need to do every day etc.. I do. I grew up with parents who were the opposit to control freaks.. and I had a hard time with how they never planned things ahead. Both my sister and I turned out being control freaks… probably as a result of that.
Of course things aren’t always going according to the plans.. but that’s ok.
Even when my boys were young, I still did things well ahead of time but mostly for things like cooking and what we’d be eating. I’d shop once a week and plan all my meals out and if I could make something ahead of time and freeze it, that’s what I’d do so I’d know “it was ready” and there for me. I also always felt if there were dishes in the sink, it would only take a few minutes to do them now but if I waited, they’d multiply so I felt it took less time if there weren’t very many.
I do realize that there are some things you can’t plan but I was talking more of washing and cooking and things like that. I didn’t plan what college they were going to when they were born or anything that extreme.
ehmn.. (missed half the sentence here..) “both because we have kids…” …and also because of my skin condition. Some things I can’t do and have to leave for dude to do after work.
You are so not weird- this is just what works for you. I wish I could borrow some of your “planning ahead”- I am so fly by the seat of my pants- I’d drive you nuts. I do not like to have a thing planned out, in fact- if there is a date in my calendar, I get a little restless (*seriously, even just a doctors appt).
I like to say, we are all fucked up in our own special way- that’s my little saying. I know for a fact that some of my closest friends think I’m just weird the way I do things. It (kinda) works for me, so be it.
I did promise to be a better planner this year and have actually been using my calendar which is a first. I’m learning.
So… I bet your ready for the party Monday? LOL I think it great actually I’m a little of both flying by the seat of my pants sometimes . And making sure things are done in time. I like the coffee being made like you said so you can have a cup right now. I don’t think it’s weird actually you save your self a lot of stress. In some ways I can be a last minute jump in the car kind of person but I also like to plan ahead on some things.
You are not wierd.I do the same thing.Coffee is already for morning,so all i have to do is turn on the switch,and also if someone drops by for coffee.Dishes I like done.I cant handle lots of dirty dishes.I do love to clean,so I dont have a least favorite job.But I do like to be ready at all times.Last minute rushing in anything stresses me out.I plan and organize way ahead of time.
I get up 5:30 am , every morning…so, I set the breakfast stuff the night before. I also make dishes ahead of time, so they are ready when I need them. I was never a girl scout, but isn’t their motto, “Be prepared?” That is what I like to be. I also do crazy, impulsive stuff, too! Best of both worlds here!
The worst thing to wake up to is a sink full of dishes!!! I try to avoid that at all costs!!! I make sure Jason has his clothes ready for the next day and same with Bailey. I have coffee ready to go and everything for school done and by the door before Bailey goes to bed. That’s his responsibility but I make sure it’s all done.
My day always starts with laundry. I put my first load in while my coffee is brewing. The vacuuming and everyday cleaning I do after my coffee and computer stuff. It’s all done and I’m always showered by 11am. Now that’s on days I don’t have AM daycare. When I do I get as much done the night before and then while my daycare kid is sleeping I do my housework. I do like my house clean and everything done before noon everyday. People ask me why do you clean so much, your house is always clean it can’t get that dirty?? I never understood that question..it’s clean because I clean it everyday!! Duh!!
You sound suspiciously efficient to me.
For those of us who are constantly airborne on our pants seats this is amazing. Seriously, I am in awe. So much so that I have to go contemplate the whole table setting thing while I put off folding the clean laundry that has been sitting on my bed for the past five days.
Joy, you could teach a class on organization! Years ago I taught one. I am more laid back and less stressed out now. …maybe it comes with getting much older(or that my hubby is a little OCD so I let him do it):)
I love the subjects you pick for your blog…you are a thinker that’s for sure…
Joy, I’m like you on a lot of things that you wrote about. I am a creature of habit and I just like things a certain way!
I think most woman are like this Joy! Most of us girls plan ahead and keep the kitchen cleaned up. I like to get the dishes done too! Like my mom says, it is relaxing. And Eric knows I am less stressed when the house is clean!