vanillafluffy: (Sheep woman)
[personal profile] vanillafluffy
Ah, the joys of domesticity! I spent a while in the dining room---I didn't set a timer, or look at the clock, just focused on ONE thing: Picking the trash up from my dining room floor. This consisted primarily of two things, empty soda cartons and plastic grocery bags.

The cartons I methodically broke down and inserted into an egg carton. The bags I stuffed into other bags* and stuffed those into trash bags, which are piled in the living room. I'll take the trash bags o' bags with me to the food pantry on Monday; they can always use them. I myself have gotten into the habit of taking reusable bags with me...if I'd gotten into that habit earlier, I'd've saved myself a lot of work picking up bags.

However, looking at the positive side, I reminded myself that I'm drinking mostly water now---filtered, at that!---so this should be the last time I have to perform that breakdown (well, except for the ones that migrated into other rooms). Likewise, using reusable bags should render plastic bags a fairly minor nuisance.

For the first time in going on a year, I can actually walk into my kitchen from my dining room. Considering the fact that two hours ago, the crap was piled waist deep---seriously!---that's a major triumph.

Now comes the fun part.

I get to go through the STUFF that's left behind, figure out what goes and what stays and where the hell to put it all. What stuff? you ask. For starters, there's the Drawer. It was the top drawer of a dresser that has long since gone to the curb...it survived by virtue of being crammed with sentimental artifacts that I've never had the fortitude to sit down and go through, because then I'd be faced with the issue of Where the hell does it go?!.

Then there's the dining table. At this time last year, I was proud of myself, because it was cleared down to bare formica so I could put a tablecloth and a vase with silk flowers on it, and that was all---until Kat's stuff came in, and stuff migrated and accumulated. I want it back down to bare surface again, damn it! I have a perfectly glorious tablecloth I want to showcase, but I can't with all that junk there.

I also want to get rid of the four chairs in there---that's why I got those folding chairs last fall, after all---which are two totally different, clashing styles. *deep breath* But that's not an emergency.

At least I'm doing something. That's what I tell myself when i look around and there's a sea of chaos next to the tiny patch of order I've created. Compared to inertia, it's progress.

===================================================

* Which reminded me of an incident at a rummage sale I once attended. One of the ladies runing the sale took out a bag (from another bag), but I'd already made a purchase and told her I'd just put whatever it was into the bag I already had.
She went to put the bag back, and another lady hurried over and said, "Don't do it like that! If you fold them, you can get 74 bags in there." At which point, I thought, Shoot me if I ever get that old and bored and have that much OCD going on.
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74 bags

Date: 2011-01-08 09:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] adventurat.livejournal.com
Wow, that's... painstaking, to count how many folded grocery bags can go into another grocery bag.

I still use plastic grocery bags for garbage can liners in my house. (Because although we do take the reusables with us when we KNOW we're going shopping, somehow we still end up with a few new ones every month.) Best thing I ever did was sew a big ol' tea towel (dish towel) into a bag holder; that's where they all live, now. Cut off the hem at one end to use for a hanging handle. Stitch the long sides together. Hem both ends, and put elastic inside the folds. Stitch the hanging handle onto one end. Bags go in the top end, and come out the bottom end. I hang mine in the front coat closet, because it's closet to the kitchen, but inside the broom cupboard (if you have one) works too. Easy, compact, terrific.

You're doing fine. Start with a small goal - seeing your dining table again - and once that's done, set a new goal. You've got the right approach. You'll get there in the end. It took time to accumulate the clutter, it'll take a while to get rid of it, too. Be proud of yourself.
Edited Date: 2011-01-08 09:38 pm (UTC)

Re: 74 bags

Date: 2011-01-08 10:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vanillafluffy.livejournal.com
Folding them is painstaking, counting them is OCD---at least in my world view, which is admittedly just as skewed in the opposite direction.

I do, in fact, have a bag holder. (Purchased a zillion years ago because I'm lazy.) No telling how long the bags have been in there, because as I got more and more and they drift around the house, there's always been one laying around that I could use.

My house is poorly equipped with closet space. I wish I had a broom closet or a coat closet---my mop lives in an old umbrella stand with things like curtain rods and rolls of gift wrap.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm getting ready to get back to it, thinking it would be nice to have at least enough table space to eat dinner at.


ETA: And...it's done! Table has been cleared and "new" cloth is on it. Now maybe I can get around to some food!
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Edited Date: 2011-01-08 10:46 pm (UTC)

Re: 74 bags

Date: 2011-01-08 10:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] adventurat.livejournal.com
Awesome! Go you! Make something nice, set the table, sit down and enjoy!

(no subject)

Date: 2011-01-08 11:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pwcorgigirl.livejournal.com
We have a big old canvas bag of plastic grocery sacks out in the laundry room. Although we take reusable bags to the store most of the time, there are spells when I "forget" them because we need grocery sacks for when the cat boxes are scooped.

You've seen photos of my tiny laundry room. It has no storage for mops and brooms, so I hung a metal belt & tie rack on the wall and hang stuff from it. It's only about 14 inches long, but makes a big difference in getting the cleaning tools up off the floor.

(no subject)

Date: 2011-01-09 12:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vanillafluffy.livejournal.com
My laundry room is the back of the garage. It's a fright right now.
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(no subject)

Date: 2011-01-09 01:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nwhepcat.livejournal.com
It sounds like a major accomplishment, so celebrate! That was on my list of things to do this weekend, but I haven't so far due to grocery shopping.

(no subject)

Date: 2011-01-09 02:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vanillafluffy.livejournal.com
Fortunately, I've got stuff in the fridge. I definitely feel celebratory. I just hope I don't fall over with shock in the morning when I stumble out and take it all in.
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