The past few days, the girls and I have been working diligently in the house- decluttering and organizing every drawer and cabinet. Yes!! I know! We are supposed to do that good deep, “spring cleaning” in the springtime. Well, maybe I have put this task off since spring… or maybe it’s been put off from a few springs ago. ?♀️ You know you can’t rush into things like this.
Every time I would think about starting this project, I would talk myself right out of it. I, unlike Shawn, feel compelled to only start a task when I know that I can finish it within a timely manner. And by timely manner, I mean that I have to know that my schedule has enough time allotted to focus solely on what I am working on until I can finish it. Shawn has an innate ability to start any project, work on it a little day by day until he’s completed it. My mind can’t wrap around that concept. I wish I had more of that in me, but then again maybe that’s why we match so well. We compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Day after day and month after month- and apparently year after year, I would walk into our home knowing that it was time declutter and get organized. Although, the house wasn’t “dirty” there were just things in places that didn’t belong there or even in our home at all anymore. And, okay, okay!! Maybe there was a Tupperware cabinet that you had to shove the containers and lids in really quick and slam the cabinet door for it to close. Or a drawer that you had to cram the contents in just right before it would roll back in. The overall appearance was a clean, neat home. There were several cabinets or drawers that I wouldn’t have minded for anyone to open. The actual presentation was decent. But then there were those cabinets and drawers that I was even embarrassed to open. The ones that you just continue to add things to. You’re not even sure what is all occupying the space any longer. You just have a good idea and continue to fill it up.
I knew that as soon as this project was started, every drawer and cabinet would need to be emptied and gone through thoroughly. Each item would have to be touched, then it would have to be assessed to see if the item still held any value, if it did- the item would have to be placed in it’s proper location, and if it didn’t- it would have to be thrown out. The amount of physical, mental, and emotional effort that would have to be put into this project was somewhat exhausting every time I thought of it, so putting it off just sounded like a better option until last Saturday. Putting it off was no longer an option. It was time to jump on this beast and conquer it.
As we started in the laundry room- the room that gets the most clutter since it’s the first stopping point in our home- I knew this room would take the most time. It is the room that holds all the bills, mail, the medical records, retirement information, extra necessities, and cleaning supplies for our home.
With every cabinet and drawer that was emptied, memories of good times came flooding back. Cards, pictures, my babies’ old pacifiers…oh, how obvious it was as to how fast time goes by. There were memories so sweet that it would bring a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. Then there were items that held less than desirable feelings. The items that reminded me of times that weren’t so easy, or memories that held less than desirable times gone by.
As the trash bags filled up, the area started to look as if a small bomb ?had went off. There was stuff everywhere. You know as you deep clean, you start with a decent area, then as you unload all the components so it starts to look worse than when you started, and right before you get finished it looks at it’s absolute worst state ever. But as we slowly started to replace the good items back to their new location, the cabinets and drawers became barer, and the cleanliness of it all started to fall over our project.
During the cleaning process, I couldn’t help but to apply it this dreaded task to life. I started to think of my own doors, drawers, and compartments that were hoarding things that no longer held any value in my life. At this point, they are just occupying precious space that is becoming too expensive to allow them to continue to nest in. It is time to empty those spaces. It is time to spill out all of the contents- touch each item or emotion, assess if still holds any value in my life, or if it’s time to purge what is no longer needed.
As we roll into 2019, I am thankful for clean cabinets and drawers. I am also thankful for family and friends who know which drawers, doors, and compartments to open with ease. I am thankful that they are the ones who can walk in right in the middle all my mess, they see all the ugliness, and even in the chaos of figuring out where each item belongs- they don’t leave. They sit right there in the middle of the floor with you and help you sort through every item of ugliness, every bit of the mess, and endure all of the chaos. They don’t leave until each piece is placed in it’s designated spot or thrown out.
May we all roll into 2019- clean!