authorblog: Weekend Wandering
This week, David Mcmahon, from authorblog set the question, "How long since you cleaned a cupboard or a room?"
The above photo shows a section of my wardrobe, which obviously needs a good clean and tidy up. I seem to have lots of things belonging to my computer in there, as I have no place else to store them. So this wardrobe has obviously not been cleaned out for some time.
Trouble is, when I tackle a cupboard or a drawer, I often find bundles of sentimental things. Old letters and cards from people who have either died or moved away. I have sometimes started to clean and removed all these treasures to sort out. I end up rereading letters and cards and looking at things that have not been viewed for ages. I carefully read everything and reminisce about past memories associated with these objects. I then run out of time, bundle them all up and put them back where I found them!
I have recently cleaned and tidied up the kitchen, since the family have left our house. That definitely looks much better than it did. I have tidied muddles in the bathroom too!
I need to tackle our bedroom next and the spare bedroom and the attic. The front lounge has been done. Our house can be likened to the Forth Bridge in Scotland, by the time the painters have finished repainting from one end to the other, it all has to be repeated, so really goes on for ever! Our house is a bit large and rambling and needs constant attention. In many ways, it is getting too much for us to maintain. I feel we are at a crossroads in our life. Do we stay here or go for something smaller?
However, the need to clean will be here long after I am dead and gone and I feel that I have to have some enjoyment in my life now, so quite often it all gets postponed while I do something else.
I do have my limits though! I am eventually forced to do something about a muddle for the sake of my sanity. I will only let the muddles get so bad, before I have to tackle them.
How about you?
20 comments:
Thank you for visiting my blog. Apologies for the delay in reciprocating - my computer has been out of action.
I often look at corners of our house and think that's in needs of a clean - I wonder when someone is going to do something about. Then I realise that the someone is me!
Like wise!! There is always something better to do, however sometimes I think my hormones take over and I become obsessive about tidyness! Luckily it doesn't last.
Glad your wardrobe looks as bad as mine!!!
i find once i START cleaning out a cupboard or room, i really enjoy it, and the feeling of satisfaction afterwards, but it's the STARTING i have trouble with!
I share your attitude about cleaning and closets! Those treasures must be kept, and life is too short to go through it with a duster in hand.
I'm always just waiting for the maid - or my fairy godmother -to arrive and with a wiggle of the nose, the house will be sparkling clean. Then I remember that maids don't like to clean houses with small children and a fairy godmother blessed me with these two little and often very messy ones so guess it'll be up to me to clean up the crapola laying hither, thither and yon, won't it? Actually, I did clean up my computer area about 3 weeks ago and today, it's almost back to the same state as it was then. I did clean my room too about two weeks ago and though it is slightly neater, there's still way too much junk for the amount of room available so, until we hit the lottery and build on more space to that area for me, I'm afraid it's gonna stay pretty much the same! A mess!
Maggie - Lately I've been in charge of regular cleaning and direction for reorganization, and hubby takes it from there. The house is a bit of a work in progress right now. Only my office and his office make sense, but since that's where we make our living, that makes sense. I didn't get nearly enough done this weekend, and I wish I could just tackle one major job a day and leave it at that. Unfortunately, as you know, it's a never ending struggle when you have other people in the house!
Your wardrobe doesn't look as bad as some of the nooks and crannies in my house right now.
Peace - D
Funny, just this evening I was shaking my head as my hubby stacked yet another box on a pile that needed to be taken to the recycle. "I know. I know." he replied. But it's his mess and I have enough trouble tidying up my own.
New-build houses do not come with cupboards! It nearly killed us sorting, packing, redistributing and throwing out possessions before our move two years ago. We now constantly tidy up because we do not have much space. Husband directs operations - I am too willing to hang on to things!
I'm glad to see another messy closet. Somehow cleanig and sorting is not on my priority list since my kids left home. Maybe someday
Now ordinary, regular, routine housework - loathe it. One advantage of ex-pat life is that at the moment I have a wonderful housekeeper who does everything, sorry, I know, I know, you hate me! But having 'a good sort out', clearing out cupboards and drawers and lofts - I love it, sooo therapeutic - better than shopping for me. There is something about getting rid of stuff and travelling light that I find terribly soothing.
xxx
My house could do with your hands!
CJ xx
I love to sort out cupboards when I am up to it, I find it very therapeutic, and it always helps me to know where things are! Sounds daft but when you have a new carer, you need to know exactly where everything is to direct them to it!! So we have very tidy cupboards. The shed on the otherhand is a different matter, it seems to be where things end up, some needed like the cat carrying box and the wheelchair, but others I'm sure are just there because we couldn't find a home, but couldn't throw them out! Next on my list I think!!
I have much the same attitude as you. I get things out, which I've forgotten all about, look at them, decide I can't get rid of them, put them back and forget all about them, until the next time I decide to clear out. Why don't I just get rid of them? Next time around, I'd be none the wiser and I'd have a bit of space.
I try to take on one drawer or one closet at a time, but I too get side tracked....to quickly. I am currently trying to reduce the clutter, throw more things out or donate them. It seems like my family and I just keep bringing more and more things into the house, as fast as I clear them out. A never ending (or winning) cycle.
Oh, I can relate to this. I have been on a 'de-clutterization" project of my house for the past year, and sometimes it just seems to look no better than before I started, despite my having discarded so much stuff.....
The last thing I cleaned out was the enormous pile of stuff that had accumulated on top of the mahoganey sideboard in the living room. It is only supposed to have a bust, a lamp, and a kleenex box on it. Instead it looked like a locker room!
Heaven help us...I'd rather be doing...anything else than tidying/sorting, and just like you, when I do it, I get caught up in reading all the assorted memorabilia instead of chucking it...
Oh God, don't get me on this subject! Particularly identify with para 2: i.e finding the sentimental stuff, spend ages reading it, getting all mopey and nostalgic, and then running out of time to do any of the sorting and chucking that had been the original object of the exercise. So, stuff it all back, feel in some weird 'other world' after all the sentimental stuff and completely frustrated and angry with myself that yet again I've gone round in a small circle and now can't even relate to the current moment. Meanwhile, my husbsand refuses to finish painting my study (started 4 years ago) until I tidy up and chuck out my teetering piles of God knows what...Sigh.
Did you see mine? Then you know how bad it gets at mine. This is a great post and not anywhere NEAR as messy as my junk!
I do the same though - I get waylaid with sentimental bits of stuff...
At least posting about it inspired me to clean it! I need to post the new clean landing next... to show what is possible!! ;0)
I dont do clear outs - its all or nothing either its Cultter heaven or black bags R Us and then i wonder where everything has gone.
May be its because I am Aries.
Looks like my spare room, or junk-room as I like to call it.... open door, throw a bag or box in, close door and forget.... haha
Actually we had to go under the house yesterday. And the one entrance? You guessed it....... through the most junk filled cupboard in the house. So of course, after emptying it, I spent about 4 hours cleaning it all up again.
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