Stuff
Yesterday was very satisfying.
When I got to Stina's she was describing her condition as "twitchy". Only 2 bedrooms were organized. The rest of the (very cute nearly 100 year old) house was packed with boxes and bags and stuff. They'd be in since Friday. She just didn't know where to start.
I got the tour and then we went for coffee, while I pointed out to her some of the must try restaurants in their new 'hood (The Child used to go to school nearby). And I asked her what one project we could tackle that would make her feel better.
The house has a great room sorta deal in the downstairs, with a 2nd fully-functional kitchen. (It is, in fact, the better designed of the 2 kitchens...the upstairs one is cramped, poorly designed and dark). She really wanted that organized but "there's not enough room for all the stuff that needs to be there".
Did someone just throw down a gauntlet before me?
It probably took us 40 minutes to get the kitchen in shape. Mostly because I made her take things out of their original boxes. Really? Maybe there are those among you who function in a similar fashion and I don't wish to offend. But do you have any idea how much perfectly lovely space is available if those things are out of their boxes? "But you can stack the boxes...can't you?" she asked. Uh, not unless you're keeping them on large and commodius shelves. Like in the store.
Once that was done I was all inspired. I went home to retrieve The Child and then went back to show her how to prune roses (one gardening thing I know how to do), clear out the living room and then with the help of Dave, who returned from yet another run to the old house, move some furniture upstairs and get the dining room restored to functionality.
Then we had a very nice steak dinner.
And I returned home determined to revive my quest to have at least one empty drawer or shelf in every room of the house. So not there. But there's nothing like being reminded of all the s.t.u.f.f. that crowds in on you, despite your best efforts to fling, discard the old, make judicious decisions about what to keep and what to jettison.
I abhore clutter. If you looked around my house you wouldn't see a lot of it. But it finds its way in, doesn't it, lurking in file cabinets and drawers and closets. It's time to re-read A Gift from the Sea by Anna Morrow Lindberg and lighten the load a little.
When I got to Stina's she was describing her condition as "twitchy". Only 2 bedrooms were organized. The rest of the (very cute nearly 100 year old) house was packed with boxes and bags and stuff. They'd be in since Friday. She just didn't know where to start.
I got the tour and then we went for coffee, while I pointed out to her some of the must try restaurants in their new 'hood (The Child used to go to school nearby). And I asked her what one project we could tackle that would make her feel better.
The house has a great room sorta deal in the downstairs, with a 2nd fully-functional kitchen. (It is, in fact, the better designed of the 2 kitchens...the upstairs one is cramped, poorly designed and dark). She really wanted that organized but "there's not enough room for all the stuff that needs to be there".
Did someone just throw down a gauntlet before me?
It probably took us 40 minutes to get the kitchen in shape. Mostly because I made her take things out of their original boxes. Really? Maybe there are those among you who function in a similar fashion and I don't wish to offend. But do you have any idea how much perfectly lovely space is available if those things are out of their boxes? "But you can stack the boxes...can't you?" she asked. Uh, not unless you're keeping them on large and commodius shelves. Like in the store.
Once that was done I was all inspired. I went home to retrieve The Child and then went back to show her how to prune roses (one gardening thing I know how to do), clear out the living room and then with the help of Dave, who returned from yet another run to the old house, move some furniture upstairs and get the dining room restored to functionality.
Then we had a very nice steak dinner.
And I returned home determined to revive my quest to have at least one empty drawer or shelf in every room of the house. So not there. But there's nothing like being reminded of all the s.t.u.f.f. that crowds in on you, despite your best efforts to fling, discard the old, make judicious decisions about what to keep and what to jettison.
I abhore clutter. If you looked around my house you wouldn't see a lot of it. But it finds its way in, doesn't it, lurking in file cabinets and drawers and closets. It's time to re-read A Gift from the Sea by Anna Morrow Lindberg and lighten the load a little.
Labels: coffee, housewifery
cobbled together by Moi at 9:02 AM
25 Comments:
Agreed. I am a huge hater of clutter and have made more sudden donations to the Salvation Army than I probably have money to justify. I try to pretend I do it because I'm organized, when actually it's because I am a shopaholic in the first place.
But not everyone has that organizational skill that you so clearly posses. What a good friend you is!
I bet you put down matching shelf paper too. SIGH, you are such a better homemaker than me!
I suppose I'm pretty organized, Hat, but in this instance it was more being able to see the forest for the trees. Which after a week of moving, Stina no longer had the will to do.
Twisi: Nope. Not much of a believer in shelf paper and what I do have doesn't match anything. And I mop my kitchen floor as seldom as possible. See?
I'm probably moving at the end of October. Book your plane reservations now.
October. Check. But when you really want me around is when you're packing:
"You're moving that because?"
"Um, because um, well, it was my Aunt Tessie's and um, um"...
"But you hated your Aunt Tessie".
"Yeah, but um, it's kinda funny"...
"Precious Moments figurines are never funny, Poodle".
"Oh. I'm getting rid of this, aren't I?"
"Yup. Next. Oh, no. Not that shirt, missy".
And then you have to buy me pizza.
hate clutter. I'm starting to feel antsy now. The good thing about moving so often is we have to do a huge de-junking every 2 or 3 years or so. This last move involved regular dejunking, AND moving from a 2300sf 2 level 4bdm 3bath rental (not as good as it sounds, trust me) into a 1250sf 3bdm 1bath house. Er, cozy cottage. It has the smallest living room imaginable.
Usually spring cleaning takes hold of me like a beast possessed, but here ... I just never get that feeling. I keep waiting for summer to hit, and then it's fall. You'd think I'd learn. Plus the older the kids get, the more crazy our schedules are. I need to take 2 weeks off just to do house projects, but who wants to waste vacation days on doing that crap?
[whine, grumble, bitch, pout]
Lorraine, I so need you in my life and closet. I can't let go of anything and desperately need to. (Bit of an exaggeration, but you get the picture.) What's your rate— pizza-ninety-five per hour?
Maybe you can come over and help me spruce up the room that DH affectionately calls "the FEMA room." That's right, it looks as though there's been a natural disaster in there.
I think I need to declutter it first. Ugh.
Like a Precious Moments figurine ever would've made it IN to my place. Pft.
The shirt? I'm keeping.
Lorraine, thanks for stopping by my blog!
about your comment, if you think my husband is funny, you should read his blog firsthand, (he's a new blogger without an audience yet).
Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease come to my house and help me organizi it. Oh wait, you are comng to my house next summer. Maybe we could spend one afternoon organizing? I can throw down MANY gauntlets if need be...
Cowbell, yeah, moving is always a good impetus for decluttering. The trouble is when you stay put for a while and it all tries to come creeping back. Sometimes when I'm really in a mood I'll pretend that I am moving. Does wonders.
Anne: Hie thee to Flylady.net. Seriously. You can thank me later. Which is not to say that I wouldn't come help for Pizza.95/hr. That's a fair rate, no?
JP: No you're not.
Anne: I'll make sure I drop by his place.
SCG: You know what to do. And trust me...there's a nesting urge right around the corner. You'll have that FEMA room handled faster than you can say, "Heckuva job, Brownie".
Nicole: If you can wait that long, I'd be happy to help. Seriously. There's nothing more fun than telling other people to get rid of their precious crap. Like that shirt of JP's. Have you seen that thing?
You would go nuts in my house....stuff everywhere, but neat and clean as a pin. I collect lots of stuff...violets on anything, kitties on anything, old coffee pots and on and on. Gift From the Sea is an all time favorite. I did a paper on that book in college and made some of my class mates cry....female of course.
If you look around my room,you'll see that I can't stand clutter.
Dust on the other hand..
My office at work and bedroom and cabinets and kitchen all desperately need you. I HATE clutter, yet I am surrounded by it. It's like "The Blob"...it just follows me, and grows until it takes over my life. I am doomed. I clean it and make it all look neat and tidy, throw away gobs of stuff...and within weeks, it's all back. Just ask Rosemary about my office. It's scary. Will you come to Idaho and visit Rosemary and help me get my clutter under control? Pleeeeeeeeze?
You're so right about stuff creeping into drawers, cabinets, shelves, corners -- any space it can inhabit. -sigh- I really need to consider those vacation days. This time, it looks like there will be no moving until son graduates, 4 years.
Rosie: Ok, you totally won't get this if you haven't seen Harry Potter 5 but I'm cracking up over the stuff with kitties on it because I'm picturing them all moving around and mewing on their plates.
Sling: Dust is our friend. We can write messages and draw pictures in it.
Gina: Hmmm.....
Oh man! I am so buying Ro a collection of meowing cat plates next Mother's Day.
You are an excellent friend. You helped take on one of the toughest rooms to organize, and decided to help with the gardening as well! I, too, am a clutter hater, and am actively trying to divest myself of the things I "must have" but then seldom use. I have been much better about not purchasing or collecting anything additional (with the exception of the cuisinart ice cream maker; total must have btw). I now am the proud owner of two whole closets with NOTHING in them, and a few empty shelves as well...
Lorraine, want to come by and help me?
Hat, I'll go in on 'em with you. That is still cracking me up.
Tater: Right on. You should come with me on the Grand Tour of Organizing Blogopia.
Mouse: Of course. Although I fear that the thing we'd end up organizing most are our empty wine bottles. But that would be fun.
Very nice and neighborly of you Lorraine. I'm sure your friends appreciated it. With our bathroom remodel, everything is getting a,"Do we REALLY need that?" assessment. Guess we'll keep the toilet though.
Oh, and for the record, I am super excellent at organizing OTHER PEOPLE'S stuff, especially their kitchens! I have helped both older kids organize their kitchens at one time or another. No baggage in THEIR houses. Mine, OTOH... fuggedaboutit!
Right, Gina. Because you can be completely detached about other people's things. Bringing that same level of dispassion to your own stuff, ah, there's the rub.
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