I can't stand people who put things away in the wrong place.

tplyons · #1 01-04-2009, 01:24 PM

So my mom's not home, and my dad has no clue where anything goes in this house. My dad just took down all the Christmas decorations and is just putting stuff where he thinks it goes, even though it's all wrong.

I'm going to have to wait until he's not home and put everything in the right place or we'll never find it next year.

TheDarkReaver · #2 01-04-2009, 01:30 PM

If I find a dvd or something, in the wrong place in a shop, I tend to move it to where it belongs. Otherwise the world would just not be right!

flakeh · #3 01-04-2009, 01:36 PM

I have ocd too.

All the empty pop cans on my desk are in order from least full to most full of flat, stale, old dr.pepper.

And the one sprite can is way off to the side. **** him.

steve21 · #4 01-04-2009, 01:47 PM

I've been known to take time away from my workouts to arrange the free weights in the correct way more than once.

James Hart · #5 01-04-2009, 01:49 PM

Hmmm... isn't it your Dad's house? Wouldn't that make it HIS call as to where stuff goes?

... just saying

tplyons · #6 01-04-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hart

Hmmm... isn't it your Dad's house? Wouldn't that make it HIS call as to where stuff goes?

... just saying

In theory, yes.

But if he could remember where he puts anything, we'd let him. But we don't let him so we can find it again.

Deacon_Blues · #7 01-04-2009, 01:59 PM

Time to move out...?

Seriously though, I don't stand that either. The advantage of being single and living alone is that nobody messes with my stuff.

At work, we're starting to implement 5S as a way to get everything in order better and facilitate the daily work. I've applied the same thinking to my desktop at home. Cleaned it completely and keep only the vital stuff on it. It has stayed clean now for a month, and is way better organized now than before.

Pilgrim · #8 01-04-2009, 02:02 PM

It all depends on how you define the "right" place...and who authors that definition.

With a wife and two daughters, I quickly realized that my definition of "the right place" was pretty meaningless unless it pertained to tools in the garage that only I use.

However, I understand your frustration. When I was a video producer and shooter, after I finished a shoot, the talent/people I worked with sometimes REALLY wanted to help me put the lights, mikes and other gear back in the cases. I politely told them that if they did so, I would go back to the hotel, unpack everything and re-pack it "the right way" or I wouldn't be able to find anything on the next shoot. They were nice people and generally understood.

armywalaby · #9 01-04-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

Time to move out...?

Seriously though, I don't stand that either. The advantage of being single and living alone is that nobody messes with my stuff.

At work, we're starting to implement 5S as a way to get everything in order better and facilitate the daily work. I've applied the same thinking to my desktop at home. Cleaned it completely and keep only the vital stuff on it. It has stayed clean now for a month, and is way better organized now than before.

I like that, sir. +1

tplyons · #10 01-04-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

However, I understand your frustration. When I was a video producer and shooter, after I finished a shoot, the talent/people I worked with sometimes REALLY wanted to help me put the lights, mikes and other gear back in the cases. I politely told them that if they did so, I would go back to the hotel, unpack everything and re-pack it "the right way" or I wouldn't be able to find anything on the next shoot. They were nice people and generally understood.

And being that my dad hates decorating, he actually despises it, we've always done it when he's not around. Therefore, we need to know where it is, and he really doesn't rely on knowing where it is.

I've found a lot of people these days don't understand systems.

I stocked shelves for years in a store, I managed the store room and the entire floor, stocked and inventoried tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise a week. If I took a day off, both the store room and the store floor were trashed with everything in the wrong place, trying to help out.

I eventually quit.

FL Knifemaker · #11 01-04-2009, 03:41 PM

The penalty for not returning tools to their propper place in my workshop IS DEATH

Muusers · #12 01-04-2009, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

The penalty for not returning tools to their propper place in my workshop IS DEATH

that's okay, i've got no soul

FL Knifemaker · #13 01-04-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muusers

that's okay, i've got no soul

I don't think you're going to come from Amsterdam to borrow my plyers

DigMe · #14 01-04-2009, 06:54 PM

You can't stand your dad?

bc

flakeh · #15 01-04-2009, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

The penalty for not returning tools to their propper place in my workshop IS DEATH

My parents never go in the garage, Thats my area now. I've got all my tools organized and put away right, everything is cleeaaan. My dad borrowed some tools to put something together, I think it was a vacuum, And he just opened a drawer and plopped the tools there. It took me days to find them. When I did, I was so relieved. Now I lock the tool cases up. The only tools not locked up are an impact gun and soldering iron, I ran outta room haha.

Nyarlathotep · #16 01-04-2009, 07:30 PM

You would hate my room then. Its about as organized as a trailer park after a tornado, hurricane, AND fireballz have come from the skys

MJ5150 · #17 01-04-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

At work, we're starting to implement 5S....

Hey, that's really cool. We use another version of that my wife picked up from watching Oprah. I think Peter Walsh actually came up with it, and talked about it on her show...

Sort
Purge
Assign
Containerize...I think Oprah made this word up.

Equalize

As for the topic, I get that way with my tools. Up until a few years ago, it was never a problem. Now that my son is older and has his own car, he tinkers around in the garage. He seems to think my collection of tools I have been gathering over my lifetime is also his, and he has free reign to use what he wants and then throw it back in any old drawer. Sometimes, he just leaves them sitting out. I'm just about to the point where I am going to start locking my tool chests to keep him out.

-Mike

tplyons · #18 01-04-2009, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Hey, that's really cool. We use another version on that my wife picked up from watching Oprah...

Sort
Purge
Assign
Containerize...I think Oprah made this word up.

Equalize

As for the topic, I get that way with my tools. Up until a few years ago, it was never a problem. Now that my son is older and has his own car, he tinkers around in the garage. He seems to think my collection of tools I have been gathering over my lifetime is also his, and he has free reign to use what he wants and then throw it back in any old drawer. Sometimes, he just leaves them sitting out. I'm just about to the point where I am going to start locking my tool chests to keep him out.

-Mike

Funny, I do the same thing to my dad. I lock him out of my tools because he haphazardly puts mine back if he puts them back at all.

I'm still trying to find some of my sockets.

And strangely enough, I'm currently purging everything from my bedroom. Living at home and at school for four years has really allowed junk to pile up. I've got two weeks left to clean it all up.

Clothing time now, time for a HUUUGE donation to the Salvation Army.

tplyons · #19 01-04-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigMe

You can't stand your dad?

bc

I can stand him most of the time.

We're both stubborn and push each other's buttons from time to time, I'll admit this. It's not the greatest relationship and something I'm trying to work on, but it's improving.

Family means a lot to me, and knowing that stuff isn't as great as it can be bothers me. That's why I'm complaining to you guys instead of going off on him. We had a nice calm discussion about this, and he's agreed to ask where things go, since I know where everything is in the house (pretty much because I put everything in storage) so we can find things again.

Pilgrim · #20 01-04-2009, 10:23 PM

5S and that kind of stuff may be workable in a manufacturing situation - I work at a university and build distance ed courses with faculty. NOTHING works on a schedule, nothing happens at a predictable time, everything is negotiated and re-negotiated, and then it happens in some way that's always slightly different from what's anticipated.

Sometimes new courses happen in 90 days, usually in six months, sometimes it takes 2-3 years. In the meantime the state and the university constantly change laws, policies and processes. And nothing I do is final - it all depends on follow-up action of faculty members who don't respond to the same prompts or influences that I do.

60% of my desk is files, notes and folders in semi-permanent "holding patterns". All I can do is check the notes and files and keep moving back to the best targets of opportunity. The trick is to keep a lot of balls in the air and keep throwing the most important ones back up so I can eventually catch them - while realizing that a certain number of the balls will fall to the floor. I can always pick them up and toss them again if there's a reason to do so.

To say the least, a high tolerance for ambiguity is required. But hey, we're a university. Nothing is simple, nothing is neat, and production systems absolutely do NOT work in this situation. Too many variables that no one really controls.