When I was younger, my gramma had a cartoon drawing stuck up on her kitchen wall of a duck swimming. The surface of the water was smooth, but under the surface, the water was boiling furiously. The caption said something about keeping the surface calm but paddling like hell underneath.
It occurred to me in the past few days that that cartoon might bear some resemblance to portions of my life.
For example, I've noticed that my countertops and other horizontal surfaces are usually cleared off.
Okay, I may have just typed a big lie, unless I focus on the word "usually".
By way of full disclosure, I could post a photo of my dining room table that currently has sitting on it six new empty totes of various sizes, a loaf of bread, my skies and my new ski boots.
Or my kitchen counters that in addition to the usual small appliances, knives, bowl of fruit, hand sanitizer and dishwashing soap spread about them, today also have a few freshly washed pans, an assortment of Christmas goodie remnants, a half-empty bottle of root beer, the Christmas bouquet that is fading fast, a new flannel shirt, a dozen new white socks for Jack, and my mom's 40-year-old wicker laundry hamper that Jack repaired yesterday.
But the point is, usually, my horizontal surfaces are mostly cleared off. Or at least I prefer that to the current clutter that I can see from my present seat near the fireplace.
My usual solution to the chaos on my counters, my dresser, the bathroom counter, and apparently every surface in my house is to put away what I can and stow the rest away in a drawer, cupboard, closet, or empty room.
Everywhere I turn in the past few days, there is contained chaos. Closets, drawers, cupboards, and even a storage room--all full of disorganized stuff.
I look around and see too.much.stuff. Mixed up and disorganized.
Not just on the counters but hidden away. Everywhere.
Stuff that is never used in places that I rarely go.
The hidden clutter must end.
No more paddling like hell under the surface. That is my 2013 resolution.
And as soon as we get back from skiing today, I'm getting started.
2 comments:
Just posted my resolution over on my blog. Simplifying is the way I'm headed this year, I hope. I wish you luck in your decluttering, though. It sounds so simple, but where are you supposed to keep all those odds and ends you still kinda need?
Now you sound like mom.
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