Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Severe Routine Sydrome - SRS

Recently I had to temporarily re-arrange my bedroom. It was necessary for me to move the bed to a different part of the room and then re-arrange other things in that room.

It was then I realized I suffer from SRS -- Severe Routine Syndrome. SRS is also know as "BIAR" -- being in a rut! (Note: All the pictures on this post are representative only - they are not mine.)



For more years than I can remember, my bedroom has always been arranged in pretty much the same way. I always have a night stand on each side of the bed, a chair, a tall lamp, and so forth.

My dresser and chest of drawers are always in the position in the room. In fact, I always want the same type of hutch/mirror on top of my dresser.



I realized that extends to other parts of my house, too. My living room is always arranged in the same order. TV in the corner, sofa and chair just so, various lamps and end tables in certain places and lots and lots of hanging plants.



As I walked through my house I discovered my kitchen and other rooms were the same as they have been for many years. God forbid the coffee maker be in any other place than right where it is! Soup cans and pasta always go here and other things go there and dishes are always in the same place.



I have driven the same exact type of car since 1980 (newer models but the same manufacturer).



I am not sure if SRS is a good thing or not. I suppose if it interferes with my ability to live my life it is bad. But, then again, I would not be happy unless I could do things the same way, every day! (Kind of a circle, isn't it?!)

I don't want to drive a different type of car - I like mine very much. I don't want to re-arrange my furniture - I like things the way they are!

I would not be opposed to doing things differently or driving a different type of car, etc., but doing things the same way all the time is comfortable and there is no reason for me to change how I do things.

I have even lived in Iowa my entire life. I have traveled a bit over the years but I like living here and have no interest in moving.



Well, wait a moment. We are supposed to get 5 to 9 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow and then strong winds and temps way, way below zero. This will be the third blizzard in the last month....

Maybe my SRS is not as severe as I thought!

Thanks for stopping by!

PS If you think you are suffering from SRS, do something to break out of that mode! Take a trip! Be spontaneous! Do something crazy! I was thinking I might do something really off the wall -- maybe move the coffee pot to a different part of the kitchen!

9 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Unless I get a new piece of furniture, mine stays pretty much put. I do, on the other hand, enjoy arranging and rearranging my stuff. I like to think of it as a form of nesting.

There's comfort in having everything just as it should be, since life usually isn't.

Hilary said...

See now, I'd love to change things up some but my space is so limited. Maybe you're right. Experimenting with pot is the best solution. Oh wait.. you said coffee pot. Never mind. ;)

Maureen said...

I've lived in the same old apartment since 1980 and all I've talked about after 9/11 is how much I want to move.

Debbie Courson Smith said...

I did move a piece of art to a different wall this week, but other than that, stability in furniture arrangements is my specialty, too!

Small City Scenes said...

It is our comfort zone AND it is our stuff or should I say this is my stuff and I like it this way. I like moving my furniture around though. It sometimes makes the place look bigger because it is different. Exception to the rule: I like my kitchen to stay the same. Interesting subject. MB

happyone said...

I am always moving things around in my house. Once I've had everything in all the places it could possibly be, I'm ready for a new house. :-) I've lived in 11 different houses since I've been married!!
I do like driving the same car though. I LOVE my vette!!

Jo said...

Gosh, can you read Emmie's comment?

I once moved my glasses to a different place on my desk, and then felt very uncomfortable, and had to move them back. All the labels on my soup cans, tuna cans, milk cartons, etc., all face the same way. I have worn a groove in the road, going to and from work. I even have the same bus drivers every day. Now I know this syndrome has a name. SRS...!

It is now 8:20 a.m., which means I must walk out the door...

A Brit in Tennessee said...

I'll join the club in saying I tend to like things to stay status quo...
I've been known to buy something new, and then return it, because it made me feel uncomfortable, and disarranged my room plan. I think this is why I am comfortable with traditional and antique furnishings, I don't have to keep up with the latest trends, and they can sit in the same spot for years :)
I like familiar, The First Sergeant thinks it's the reason, I keep him around..lol

Pauline said...

This made me chuckle. I tell myself it's because my cottage is tiny that everything must remain where it is, that I've traveled a lot and still haven't found a place I like better than home, that the world would not be the same if someone moved the tea kettle. Then I moved the tea kettle and now the whole cottage must be rearranged! Be careful of that one small change ;)