I’ve been living in a fool’s paradise.
I had this delusion that we would somehow be exempt from any of the standard spring cleaning/clearing stuff. After all, we only moved into this furnished rental five months ago. And we’re going to be moving out of here in a couple of months.
So really, what could there be to clear out?
Let us start with my ‘studio’ (aka laundry room) which could be mistaken for the hoarding mess of a crazy lady with fifteen cats.
For the record, I don’t own a single cat.
But I admit, this looks slightly disturbing. In my defence, it’s a really small space and I like to see what materials I have to work with. Yeh, that’s it.
Admittedly, it might have gotten a little out of hand. I’m actually now a little afraid to start a new project, simply because I can’t find a way through the chaos. I guess we can conclude that area needs a little work.
The thing about living on this semester-style life, where time is categorized by the Vancouver-Apartment Epoch, the Travel-Trailer Episode, or the Roberts-Creek-Cottage Era, or what-will-soon-be our new town home at #10-In-Sechelt Period…is that I can’t pretend that I don’t know how much time has passed since I last vacuumed in the corner of a closet.
It’s really easy to figure out if you did it when you moved in…and then…yes, well, that’d be five months ago. There is no way around that fact.
My mother, my lover of Old Dutch Cleanser mother, is probably stomping around heaven scrubbing some extra gold tiles to compensate for my negligence. I can hear her muttering, ‘I raised you to keep a clean house.’
Indeed Mom, you did. I’m still pretty sure we were the only family in Mission City who, every spring, scrubbed the outside of our house with sudsy wooden brushes, from the eaves to the dirt. It is said that if you raise the child a certain way, that they will pretty much adhere to that training for the rest of their lives.
And yet, I seem to be slipping more and more. What can I tell you? I really don’t care that much. I find that reading a book, writing an essay, painting a picture, learning the ukulele, cooking a new recipe or going for a walk is a much more compelling use of my time. Dusting, it seems to me, is a ridiculously overrated activity.
So, when it comes to Spring Cleaning, and in honour of Mom, I promise to clean and organize my laundry/studio area, simply because I want to get in there and start a new project.
But as for the rest of it? You know that old saw about it being time to sell the car because the ashtrays are full? It would seem that the metaphorical ashtrays in this house are at capacity.
But that’s okay – we’re moving soon and, as it turns out, being a fool in paradise is rather relaxing.
I laughed when I read this posting, I too have a “room to be artistic in”. I recently made the mistake of thinking that if I took everything off the tables, out of the totes, drawers, shelves, bags, etc etc etc, and put everything in a pile in the middle of the room I’d be able to reorganize. Start new. Ha! I’ve only managed to clear a path through the middle of the pile, to get to my table to make a few birthday and Easter cards. (After I’d picked through the pile to get the necessary supplies)
Funnily enough, I am packing up what I need to do a bit of scrapbooking and card making, as I will attend a “crop” this weekend.
In true ironic fashion, I need to register for a crop, book a hotel room, drive 45 minutes, and stay the weekend (with 3 girlfriends) to be able to accomplish what I’d love to be able to do in my craft room!
(I too love to have everything out so I can see what I have)
Sigh,
xoKathleen
Ha! I too, have fallen prey to the old dump-it-all-in-the-middle-of-the-floor-so-I’ll-HAVE-to-deal-with-it-plan. Otherwise known as the non-plan! Though, to be fair, I’ve done this exact method with my closet (more than once) and it really does work.
My goal – that I am now stating aloud – is that today is the day. Today I clear/organize that chaos and start a new project.
And you know what I did this morning? I bloody well dusted! Well, four things, I dusted four things, but surely that’s enough.
And yes, I appreciate the irony, but we all need to be surrounded by fellow-creatives now and again. We need our tribes 🙂
We used to have quilting bees, or gather by the river to beat the washing, or hunt and gather…that coming together needs to happen.
So well done, for finding some equally wise women. Have fun!
Thanks! I will! xok
Rather a relaxed fool in paradise than an overstressed brainy-pants in a nightmare of misery. (See, it’s now your smartest choice!)
Whoa! The Queen of Decluttering is calling me this my smartest choice? Thanks for the validation Elinor 🙂
I dislike dusting too. (Sssshh)
The revelations keep rolling in!
If you don’t know “The Housewife’s Lament” please enjoy this lovely version by Patty Duke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2wRlJBv0lk
That last verse is fair warning to any of us brought up by godly Mennonite mothers: She lay down and died and was buried in dirt.
During happy hours tonight, let us toast all fools in paradise. Cheers!
Hey Lynda, thanks for the Patty Duke song and cautionary lyrics. And yes, a toast to all fools living in paradise 🙂