mixed up files

As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, we’ve been spending time decluttering, organizing and simplifying.

Years ago, when I had 10 CDs and 5 DVDs, I didn’t worry about putting things back in the right boxes. I had so few, it didn’t matter. I’d find the one I was looking for quickly enough. When Rob and I “combined” our collections, this bad habit of mine drove him nuts. As our collection grew and grew, I learned the benefits of putting thins away in the right boxes. With over a 1000 CDs, 100 DVDs, and scores of Wii games in the house, it is imperative for us to put discs away in their proper cases or we will NEVER be able to find them. (Though I admit, finding a CD that has been lost for years does make for a nice surprise.)

Boxes of CDs

I’ve stressed to the kids the need to put discs away; we’ve had our fair share of scratches and wrecked discs. And I’ve stressed that there can’t be any mixing up or we won’t find what we are looking for. Months ago, I was so frustrated with the CDs and DVDs not getting put away and getting mixed up despite having explained to the girls the need to do it that I decided to start fining them for infractions. I am not a big fan of this type of “consequence”, but I was at a loss of how to make the laziness stop. For a while, the situation improved. And, now that we’ve reduced a bit and gotten so very organized, I had hoped that we had tackled the problem.

DVDs

This morning, I went to put away a box of Michael Palin DVDs. I opened it to find one DVD missing and a DVD that belonged in another collection. I hoped to find the missing one in the other box, but nope, not there. Checked the DVD player. Star Wars I was in it and the Star Wars I box was nearby. But the Star Wars I box had Star Wars V in it. Found the Star Wars V box and put those DVDs right. Looked in all the Michael Palin boxes for the missing DVD. Checked the *other* DVD player. Looked in all the Harry Potter and Star Wars cases. Finally remembered that we had watched another movie a couple of weeks ago. Bingo. Argh.

Two girls will be getting fined as I wasted a half hour of time I don’t have this morning trying to un-mix up the mixed up discs.