Make My Monday-"Controlling My Chaos"

Happy Monday, ladies!! Mondays are one of my fave days. I know, I know I say that just about every Monday but it is so true!! After having fun all weekend I need a break {lol}. Time to clean up after our time at home, get re-focused and re-committed to goals AND post here. Love all of it!

So today is another installment of my blog interviews "Make My Monday". This week's interview is with Jill from
Controlling My Chaos. You MUST go and check her out. Found her through SITS and so happy I did!! She has oodles of talent including organization skills {that i soooo obviously lack} AND she is crafty. What a wonderful combo right??



Hi, Jill! Thanks so much for the interview. I found you one morning while checking out blogs from SITS. I have found so many wonderful women bloggers on there! Anyway, the first thing I loved about your blog were all the articles on organization. Tell us about this obsession:)
Aw shucks. You're so sweet. I know what you mean about all the awesome blogs out there. I have spent many hours pouring over blogs for ideas and inspiration. It's an addiction.

You think I'm obsessed about organization? Well, you wouldn't know it if I let you take a look at my basement right now, but yes, I am a tinsy bit obsessed. It's possible that the label "OCD" is flung around my house from time to time as well, and not just to describe myself. Each member of my immediate family has their own special little gift, and sadly, it doesn't necessarily reach all areas of our lives. Or rooms in the house. But we are a bunch of freaks and it works for us.

I try to be organized but I'm not. Can you tell us the one place we should start to becoming better organized?

For me, it's lists, namely "To Do" lists. I like to make lists for everything, and for some reason, just writing it down has a way of alleviating some of the pressure from the black cloud of doom that seems to settle on our shoulders when we are overwhelmed by our stuff. It might seem like an extra step to write everything down, but really, it frees your mind so you can focus on one thing at a time.

For example, I went back to teaching this school year so my house is a ginormous mess from all the neglect that's been heaped on it these past nine months. My guest room is a dumping ground that I can't even get into, and it needs a serious decluttering

I'm making my lists now for all the things I want to accomplish this summer. Since I don't want my entire summer to be drudgery, I'm making separate lists so I can dabble in some of the fun stuff and some of the not so fun stuff. Like the deep cleaning. Yuck, yuck, yuck. The goal is to make myself do something very undesirable for two hours each day, and then I can spend the rest of the day however I choose. That's the plan anyway, Flexibility always comes into play--sometimes I just don't wanna.

Love your blog look. From the bacground to the banner to the button...all so cute. How did you come up with these ideas? I know so many of us want to customize our blogs don't know where to begin.

Well, I'm into digital scrapbooking, so that's how it started. I used to create a new banner every month, but it was getting too hard with working full-time, so I hired someone to give my blog a makeover. It was money well-spent because all that HTML hoo ha makes me crazy. Plus I'm old and my sight isn't what it used to be. I highly recommend hiring a web savvy blog designer.

How long have you been blogging and what got you started? I started blogging in June of 2008. I had wanted to start a blog for at least a year before that, but I didn't know how to get started. Then one day my BFF told me she started a blog and she told me how to get started. From there, I just got a little carried away and kept going. It's been a blast. Starting a blog is so much easier than most people think.  How did you become so organized? Were you always this way?? Was I always a freak? Yes! I remember growing up and having to share a bedroom with my sister, Oscar-the-Grouch-Who-Lives-in-a-Trash can, and I wanted to jump off a bridge, she was such a slob. At one point I even taped a jump rope down the middle of the room to keep our sides separate. I needed my own little oasis of clean and orderly. The only problem was that she had the side with the door, so I had to beg to enter and exit. It wasn't the best plan, but it was a start.

My mom is a bit of an organizational disaster too, so it's possible I was traumatized into becoming the freak that I am today. She used to buy us Christmas presents, hide them, and then she couldn't find them when it was time to give them to us. She still does that.

And finally just for fun...Please share 3 movies with us that had an effect on your life. Oh that's easy. "The Blind Side" is my current favorite. I love Sandra Bullock and it's just a super cute movie. The message is heartwarming. Next, I love "Enough" with Jennifer Lopez. I'm big on strong women and not taking crap from anyone, so I just love it when she creams her creepy husband. Then before that "Forrest Gump" is one that sticks with me. The whole box of chocolates message is so true.

I think that does it. Thanks for hosting me today. Have a great week!

Thanks so much, Jill for the interview!! It has been so fun seeing what inspires you. I will be stopping by Controlling My Chaos very soon!!


Girls, I have so much fun with these interviews! Thanks to each one of you who has participated so far!! Next week we'll hear from a very talented blog designer. {my current background is some of her handiwork}
Be sure and leave a comment below...I stop by every blog that leaves a comment and I would love to make you a part of "Make My Monday!!"

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So much going on today. Trying to stop by all your blogs today, catch up on e-mails, cleaning house, laundry and even trying to squeeze some "art therapy" in {my friend Courtney calls it that}.

Happy Monday!!!

PS...I finally got signed up for the Kelly Rae Roberts on-line class!! I have never done anything like this before and I am soooooo excited!! I will be taking with my blogging buddy Leanne!!!:)