Jenny, Jenny: Shame Cleaning/Clean Desk Challenge 2010

We're moving. Me and all my pals in Design & Creative Services are being relocated up the street to a new/old building. (And we're not complaining) The architects of said building stopped in the other day to check out our current space so they could evaluate what our needs are. I didn't know they were coming. Sigh. You see, I'm a slob. Yes. There. I've said it. It's out there for the universe to judge. My not-so-secret shame. Anyone who's ever lived with me, worked with me, ridden in my car, or seen me from 100 yards away will tell you - "That girl is a mess."

Despite appearances, I don't think it's okay and am always horrified for people I don't know (and, people I do, really) to see my messes. It's probably how a bulimic would feel if they got caught bingeing. So, when the architects announced that they would be heading to the back room I had a full blown secret panic attack. The back room is a separate space from my desk - which is bad enough- where I do all of my paper-cutting. I followed them to the back while making my list of excuses. There was no stopping them though. They saw it. Lord knows what they thought. Really, they didn't seem to be phased. I'm sure they're around a lot of creative messies. But that doesn't make me feel any better.

This Humiliation, however, did induce a round of Shame Cleaning. Shame Cleaning is USUALLY a preventative measure you take BEFORE the crippling shame of someone seeing your mess. It's the fear of being caught that compels you, but, apparently the Shame itself can actually be used to fuel that cleaning fire, too. Who knew?

So, I cleaned both my desk AND the paper-cutting palace thanks to the help of my co-worker/neighbor/coupon clipping extraordinare, Nicole. And, as always, my fellow designers have taken bets on how quickly I will fail.

Despite the clutter, this is considered clean: