Here’s a little blog from my friend, Tonya Allen. I think we can all relate to this one. I have to admit I let clutter build up around the house. I often do a frantic tidy up before guests arrive that involves shoving everything in sight into the nearest cupboard and hip-and-shouldering the doors shut, knowing that next time I open them there’s going to be an explosion!!!!
As a result, in the back of my mind, I know there’s a nightmare behind most cupboard doors in my house and it’s an annoyance that I can’t rid myself of until action is taken. Sometimes you just need a little inspiration to get you started.
So thank you Tonya, you might have just inspired me…..
Tidy Linen Cupboard = Tidy Mind
The last few months have been very productive in an energetic, therapeutic kind of way. The In–Laws recently sold their large family home to relocate to a new, low maintenance, smaller home. With over thirty-eight years of living in, storing, accumulating, dare I say, hoarding all kinds of ‘stuff’, the cry for help came via an email to who I term the princess of organisation and declutter, ME. (The title of Queen is awarded to my two sisters who share equal rights).
Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. I’m at my best when kept busy, particularly with organisation. I was set the challenge and off I went, post it notes, permanent marker and tape in hand to offer my skills. And it was definitely a challenge, with the In–Laws having little or no experience with packing and moving. My patience was certainly tested.
In delegating the task of decision making to the In–Laws, asking three questions made a huge impact;
- What do you want to relocate to the new house?
- What do you want to sell?
- What do you want to donate to charity?
Leaving the removalists to the heavy work, we got there. They are now settled and reasonably comfortable in their new abode. Some minor decorating tasks like hanging pictures and they are free to enjoy the remainder of their retirement entertaining family and friends in a maintenance free, relaxing environment.
The reward for me was the ability to help someone in need to offer a service and to see the satisfying result when completed.
It led me to reflect on my own home and how we live within our four walls and how life can appear to get out of hand with the smallest of things overwhelming us. Such as, the lawns are overgrown, there are dishes to be unpacked from the dishwasher or the bed is unmade. All of these non-essential elements of daily living, if not attended to today, will still be there tomorrow. But, if you have an overactive mind like me, then menial tasks like making the bed can get on top of you.
My way to overcome this level of anxiety is to tackle something unrelated to general household duties, something less painful yet still rewarding.
Helping the In-Laws pack up and relocate to their new home and unpack their belongings reignited the organisational flame in my own home. I now have a beautifully arranged linen cupboard, everything in its rightful place, matching linen, fitted sheets folded correctly, saving so much space. Although not labelled, that would be overdoing it; I save that for the pantry only, which led me to my next project. Simply rearranging labelled food items onto different shelves took no time and the result was pleasing and the task was free, not a cent needed.
With small steps as simple as rearranging a pantry, a linen cupboard or a bookshelf, its amazing how a little declutter in a cupboard can alleviate declutter in your mind.
The lawns still need mowing, the bed is still unmade but I have a tidy mind today, more tidy than yesterday.
Tonya Allen
(Living with anxiety – a little less today than yesterday).
