Can You be TOO Organized?

We are such an organized family when it comes to traveling. We plan everything down to the last detail. We purchase tickets and make reservations in advance. We do allow room in the schedule to move things around when necessary.

The only thing we forgot was the sharpie to mark the drinks. Without it, there's a lot of waste.

Any way, to the point of this post. I'm basically pretty organized all the time. My closet is arranged by  items and color within each category. My Christmas plates are all stored with the trees in the same direction. I say that to admit that I can be a bit fanatical. Heck, I organized other people for 15 years. But I have seen nothing like the organization in the house we rented for our family vacation. In fact, it was so over the top, that it made me uncomfortable. This house was beautiful and big---5 bedrooms and baths---sleeps 18 (although that's a bit of an overstatement when the sofa sleepers are so uncomfortable.) 

Anyway, we hadn't even gotten in the front door before the LABELS assaulted us. There were labels everywhere. Here are just a few:

I should have taken a photo to show you how high up the nest was. Seriously, anyone that wants to get to the nest would have needed to bring a ladder with them. We might be organized, but we don't travel with a ladder. Plus by, now the babies have long flown away.

Eeek, now that I am reminded of this one, I'm not sure we did that. Of course, we do wipe our feet. It wasn't muddy---totally dry, so I guess we're okay.

Duh!?! We do know what bugs are---don't need a list. Plus, we're pretty adamant about this. Remember, "close the door, do you live in a barn?" Someone's always yelling at the kids to close the door!

In my opinion, it's much harder to "thump" your luggage up the stairs than to just carry it.

Every room had an inventory list. I have to admit, the family had a good laugh making fun of this. Seriously, who would steal the thermostat or ceiling fan? On our last night, I went to bed at 11:30 and overheard a conversation about the BBQ brush. While cleaning up, Jordan was drying the brush and pulled out half the bristles. I told her to throw it away. Butch was kiddingly freaking out that we were going to be charged for that. I didn't bother to get up to tell them that it was my brush I brought from home!

Most people are familiar with the fireplaces that do not open these days. Since it was summer, we weren't using this anyway.

This one really got me. There are two cabinets side-by-side. One is open. The locked one would obviously be the owner's cabinet. The "please do not touch" got to me. What? Have they had a lot of thieves stay with them that tried to steal everything and pry open things obviously meant to be left alone? It's insulting.

Connie needs to do this inside her cabinets at their beach house. Not only were each shelf labeled---15 water glasses, 15 juice glasses, 15 plates, etc., There was a photo posted as to the exact location of everything. And as if that weren't good enough....

Another inventory list posted on the cabinets.

The lighting was not very good in the house. Part of the problem was that many of the bulbs were out. Some lights we couldn't turn on at all and just thought the bulbs must be out. Finally, on the last night, Morgan noticed the label---"lights are on a timer. They go on at 6 p.m. and off at midnight." Huh? Since when can't you turn on lights whenever you want them?

It's pretty ironic that I take pride in how organized we are when we travel. Yet, I was offended by the owner's organization. It's just too much. I felt uncomfortable. What I've posted here is just a sampling of what was there. Cabinets with towels were labeled and numbered. Every room had labels everywhere including the deck.

OMGosh---it was way too much pressure to keep everything so perfect-especially on vacation. Even when the whole family is together at our house, things get messed up. Things don't get put exactly where they belong. And you know what, I don't freak out about it. I can straighten things up when they leave. I want my family to have a good time---and that includes me.

 This was just plain insulting.

In fairness to the owner, she also has a manager that is supposed to do this inventory each time someone leaves. We arrived before the manager. When she got there, she said she was running late that day. She was in and out in 5 minutes. There's no way she checked and counted everything. I just hope nothing is missing so we don't get blamed.

Speaking of which, sometimes, things just happen. A few years ago, I inadvertently brought home a table knife from a cabin in a state park. It was inside my cake taker, so I didn't notice it. I wasn't worried, as I just carried it back a few months later when we went again. If it had been someone's home, I would have let them know and then stuck it in the mail.

When there are that many labels, you simply stop seeing them. We would have spent the first couple of hours of our vacation reading everything! Obviously we didn't.

I realize there are plenty of dishonest people out there. But I resent being treated like one.

Someone take the label maker away from this woman!