Wondering where I've been for the last 16 days? Well, I've been buried. Literally. Beneath many, many piles of clutter.
The combination of full-time job and full-time illness has long posed a challenge for things such as cleaning and organizing. In the last 6 months, the level of disaster in my living quarters reached an all-time high. It's been bad before, but usually there were one or two places still possessing some semblance of order. This time, every single horizontal space was covered in piles of miscellaneous stuff. And I finally couldn't take any more.
Thanks to a recent reduction in workload, I now have most of the afternoon free. And for 8 of the last 11 days, I've spent those afternoons slowing digging myself out from this mess. I'm not finished yet, but I've already discovered that a clean living space is like a breath of fresh air.
As I mentioned to a friend earlier this week, when things are piled and cluttered around me, it's as if my possessions are yelling at me. It crowds my head with noise, even when I'm doing other things. It weighs heavily on me even when I'm not specifically thinking about it.
As I've restored order in each little area, I've found that just looking at the newly ordered spaces brings quietness and calm to my spirit. So yes, this undertaking has been daunting and tiring--but it has also been extremely rewarding.
And for those of you still clinging to the notion that I am a neat and orderly person who keeps my home in tip-top shape, these pictures ought to dispel those myths quite nicely. I am a bit embarrassed to post these "before" photos, but the very wonderful "after" photos will be coming soon. And maybe my mess will make you feel better about your own!
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| My desk...also known as "Three Levels of Disaster" |
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| My file cabinet |
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| My bedside table |
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| The top of dresser #1--can we say "polypharmacy"? |
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| The top of dresser #2 |
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| My "bookshelf"--relatively in order, but wait for the "after" pic |
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| My art table...not too bad here since it was recently cleaned off! |
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| Multipurpose shelf, mostly cat stuff right now |
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| My "living room" |
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| My art bins--looking deceptively organized |
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| Ummm...storage? Yeah. I think that's what this is supposed to be. |
Well, now that I've thoroughly exposed the dark recesses of my clutter, I hope you will still be my friend. Or at least that my "after" pictures will eventually convince you to take me back!
PS--If your clutter is worse than mine, don't worry. I don't mind other people's messiness--just my own!
oh my goodness!!! i LOVE this post!! i feel the same way about my clutter, no matter where i go in my house, i can hear it yelling at me - but finally clearing it up? this isn't a better feeling like it.
ReplyDeletecan't wait to see the "afters" - absolutely loved the honesty and vulnerability that you shared.
you're amazing courtney - i love calling you "friend".
You can't help it Courtney. It's genetic. Love, Vicki
ReplyDeleteI've seen worse!!! I know how rewarding it is after organizing and tidying up. Many of my volunteering jobs included doing this. -Nel
ReplyDeleteYep, it's genetic...but so is the frantic feelings of the need to be organized, it's kind of like a split personality!
ReplyDeleteI recognize the clutter corners since I live with them too.It isn't just "organizing" it is a matter of getting "rid of". We just have tooooo much stuff.We are trying but it takes a mess to go through it all.I need someone that isn't interested in any of it to come and toss it all out.That would be the simplest.Going through one box I found Sheilah's Physical Fitness Score Card and her picture at age 10.It is a mess, but that's just the way it is.
ReplyDeleteLove, Grandma