Confessions of a professional organiser #1 – library fines

Be gentle… I have a big confession.

I’ve probably paid more in library fines this year than my annual membership is worth.

And it’s only the beginning of June!

Yes, I’m organised but somehow not so much with my library books.

Why, oh, why???

I actually said to the librarian this last time, “I don’t know WHY I can’t seem to remember when my books are due” and as I was walking to my car, I figured it out.

It’s because I never write the due date down.

I’m depending on a very-defective memory (since my pregnancy last year, my brain is mush) instead of a system.

So this time, I made a note in my cell phone AND in my (new) week-at-a-glance diary.

Hopefully this will be the last of it because this really was getting ridiculous!

Tell me I’m not alone – do you have any organising confessions to share?

Otherwise, in which area of your life are you least organised?

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Comments

  1. Mmm, actually I’m surprised when I actually manage to do things in an organized way without thinking about it! LOL One thing I can’t seem to get under control in my health PPW. With the social security, health insurance, various diseases and treatements, it’s just too much for me, I’m never sure that I get the money back from the insurances. I’m grateful for the french social security system (which, among other things, pays for IUI and IVF!), but what a PITA to manage on a day to day basis! LOL

  2. Jessica says

    At my library they have post-its with a calendar where you can circle the day of the month and which month your book is due on. I find that a helpful reminder, but I still find, I’ll tend to forget taking the books back on time unless I write how many books are due on what date on my calendar/planner (That way, I don’t only return 3 of the 5 books I borrowed). Some of the libraries near me have gone high-tech and email reminders a couple days before the books are due, with a list of what you have checked out, which is also very helpful, but if the library near you doesn’t do that, its not you can control that.

    I think paper clutter is the area I tend to fall behind on the most..because I just dump all the envelopes in a pile to “deal with later” because most of them don’t really take action other than “decide whether I should file that or toss that statement/bill/offer/etc”…I could set up all the systems I want, but I find that I get lazy and I’d rather just leave them to pile up, and by the time I get to them, 9 times out of 10, I haven’t had to dig for anything in that pile, and start to wonder whether a well-organized filing system is overkill…its just that 1/10 times when I do need something from one of those old mail items that makes me hesitate to just toss everything immediately after reading it

  3. Why oh Why?? Library books and DVD’s are both my downfall. Even when I write the due date down I still have a mental block about returning them. Sometimes I end up taking the DVD’s back to the movie store when I havent watched them because I just couldn’t find the time! I have finally signed up with Netflix so I don’t have to worry about it. That is much cheaper than the late fees I usually pay. I think it might be the idea that I have control over when I can return them instead of someone telling me when I have to.

  4. I am right there with you when it comes to library fines. Between my daughter and I we pay the library continually. I am working on this one too !!!!! THe other for me which I am currently working on too is clothing.
    I am trying to purge a lot of the clothes so far 1/2 a garbage bag but so much more to go through .

  5. Here’s a few things I do to minimize (note: not eliminate) library fines:
    1. all library books go on the “library shelf”
    2. when we’re done with a book it goes in the “library bag” so it’s ready to be returned.
    3. Put due dates in planner.
    4. almost weekly check library website to see what needs to be returned
    5. Realize that saving 50cents on an overdue fine probably isn’t worth the 20 mile drive to return the book.

    BTW, my library does e-mail me when books are close to their due date. This helps me remember that it’s time to finish up the books or renew them to avoid fines.

  6. Lawanna, to put it in context, my annual membership for the year is R40. Last week’s fine was R23 and the previous one was R13………. LOL

  7. Oh dear, Marcia. As I sit here with overdue books, I can empathize! I’ve told myself no more books for the summer until I can get a better hold on reading them more timely, but that’s just me.

  8. You’re not alone! It wasn’t until I started putting the due dates on my calendar and setting an alarm for the day before that I finally got this together.

    Good for you for admitting this, though.

  9. I used to be most organized with my files, but now, with moving things and general laziness, I find that to be my weakest area – keeping the paperwork organized. That should be one of my goals this summer – to get the paperwork in order, purge what I can, shred, and file.

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