With some thoughts, you know when you think them that it means you’re a grownup. When you would love to just go take a bath. When you wish you could take a nap–but you acknowledge that you can’t. When you look around your bedroom at the beginning of a week off for staycation and think, “I need to clean.”
It’s bad in here, y’all. I mean, of course there’s the Christmas clutter. My room is the only safe place for wrapping, and also to get that big ol’ tree in the living room, other stuff needed to be stuck out of the way. So there’s that. Boxes that need breaking down but the dumpster is already full. Wrapping paper odds and ends that I should just stick in the recycling, but I always think one day I’ll need that tiny odd-shaped piece. Need to put the rolls of wrapping paper away, get the bows and the boxes for lights stashed under the bed, make sure the ribbons are out of reach of the cat…
There’s also the new things. I got candles and movies and a book and yay! But all that stuff has to find a home now, and that’s not going to be easy. There was a lot of STUFF in here already.
Which brings me to the old things. Yesterday I spent a pleasant hour getting rid of things I haven’t touched all year (well, since unpacking after the move, and probably for the year or two before I packed it, to be honest). I’ll probably definitely have to do it again, and be harsher. Probably I’ll have to do it a few more times. For someone who dislikes knick-knacks, I sure have a weirdly large number of things that have no actual use…
Then there are the “might need thats” and the “definitely will eventually need thats.” I have a flatbed scanner that’s a good ten years old. Why would I still need it? At work the copier has a scanner function and my boss has encouraged me to use it for personal stuff whenever I have time/need.
On the other hand, my scanner has a fan sticker I love on it and I don’t want to give it up!
Back on the first hand, I can take really good pictures with my phone, so I really really don’t need that thing… Fine. It can go. Here’s a picture of that sticker, in case I ever really feel the need to see it again.
Candles…yeah, candles are no issue. I’ll just light one more often now that my (perceived) candle shortage is at an end, and that will take care of itself.
The kitchen cabinets will need a little work too. At the very least, some mugs will need to leave, to make room for new aquisitions.
This is my new at-home tea mug. (I’m not sure how legible it is–the inside lip reads “Seize the day.”)
This is my new at-work tea mug.
…maybe I’ll just keep that one on reserve at work, for use on days I really need it. Or maybe I’ll switch them, and take the Seize the Day one to work. Either one will help me feel empowered as I start my day. And then some of my Kahlua chocolates to end the day, and–ahem.
Cleanup, yes. That was what I was talking about. There are other mugs, too (when in doubt, people seem to give me mugs, candles, and journals–of which I also have probably more journals than I can ever use, but you can’t just get rid of those things. What if you DO need it?) so an assessment will have to be made.
It’s good that the new year follows so quickly on Christmas, in my opinion. It makes it easier to ponder the “out with the old” now that the new has made it in the door.
Will you be packing a donation bag or three this week? Or are you just going to relax in any time you have off? Paint the porch? Read a dozen books? Actually have time for a nap?
Whatever you do this week, I hope it gives you as much satisfaction as my cleaning will bring me.
Geez, I’m such a grownup.