Beyond spring cleaning

i have finally had enough!
Seriously!!!
Enough of what, you might ask?
Enough of my piles of crap and junk overtaking my life.
STUFF--everywhere is getting to me.

Was it a coincidence that on the afternoon i was actually home last week Oprah had the clutter patrol on? Was it a coincidence that he talks about purging and getting rid of the clutter in your life--that it robs you of time and money? Was it a coincidence that he looked straight at me and told me to get to it--to start? Was it a coincidence that he said Leigh Ann? OK he didn't actually say Leigh Ann but he should have--he has been sending me E-mails--yes really he has--he can send them to you as well--all you have to do is sign up to be his friend--and i don't know if he actually looked straight at me--it wasn't like Romper Room and i was a bit busy multitasking at the time it was on--but i was feeling his cleaning vibe. (OK so i am showing my age with the Romper Room reference--for those younger than me it was a kids show in the early 70's--they had a magic mirror and at the beginning and end of the show they would look through it into TV land and they would say--I see Mark, and I see Dave and I see.....I was always hoping that they would say my name--but NEVER did it happen--I watched the show faithfully...Oh the scares i carry from my child hood--Will the pain ever go away?--Sniffle-wiping tear--I digress-- What was i talking about--PURGING and i am not talking the kind you do in the toilet--this is garbage can purging.

The clutter guy Peter Walsh has some good ideas--if you can just get past his funny goatee. He suggests that you take a picture at the start of your project--I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was too embarrassed with how bad I had let it get. Even if the picture was never posted, I should have done it for me--so I could see my progress. Some off the clutter was from moving rooms around and trying to reorganize areas and not having the storage to complete the task.

And then some of it was from too much stuff and not enough space to put it (Anyone else have those issues) And then there was the concept "if you ignore it long enough it will eventually go away." Just in case your wondering--it doesn't.And then there was just a ton of paper. PAPER---AHHHH. In this suppos-ed paperless society why do we have so much inundating us day in and day out. It was amazing what i was able to send to the recycle bin--we filled ours as well as neighbors (they don't mind since no one actually lives there) and now i am just throwing it away. Things like floppy disk--the ones that were really floppy and then those smaller disks--it is like a walk down memory lane going through this stuff. It is amazing how technology has changed since i went through all this--although at the time i wouldn't have been able to throw it away since it was needed then. I found tons and tons of cords-phone cords, computer cords,camera cords. If you need a cord i am the one for you. I found every cord EXCEPT the one that is missing for my sons Augcom. With all these cords you would think one would fit--if only it were that easy....

I found that there is a small problem with purging at this time of year. It seems like it would be a better thing than being outside during this high pollen windy time of year. If only avoiding allergy season was that easy. Somehow i thought i was averting some of the sneezing--until i started cleaning. The dust has been growing and getting thick--and it struck me with a vengeance--"ignore me, will you" it seemed to say--it was taunting me. I spent my afternoon crossing my legs each time i sneezed. There is just something about having 5 kids and sneezing that just don't mix. It was almost enough to deter me-but i stuck it out. Not that i am done--just on my way to getting control of my life-HAAAHHHAAAAHHHAA--that is a laugh. Like i will ever have control over my life? Well i can hope for control over portions of my life can't I?

"Go beyond spring cleaning

and establish a year-round set of traditions

to keep your home

organized and clutter-free."

----

Peter Walsh