On a recent weekend I tackled the clutter in my office. My office consists of a small bedroom, with a big desk, lots of books, and a bed, and a large former closet. The closet is my computer and file room.
We have four file drawers to hide the business of life, but my personal files were on two small shelves behind me in the computer room – files about Amanda, and writing, and recipes. To Do’s were piled in no order on a three tier plastic tray next to the computer, and the rest of the computer desk had lists and works in progress and books to return to the library and dirty socks. The big desk was covered with stuff from our Africa trip: souvenirs, gifts, postcards, camera equipment. A jumble drawer in each room held…jumble.
CLUTTER
I spent the better part of three days organizing, cleaning, and culling. I enlisted Joe to help with the Africa stuff, since a lot of it was his. Then I went through all the papers littering the computer desk and the To Do tray, all the folders on the shelves. I took down a storage box, threw out a bunch of files from ancient matters, and replaced them with files from middle-aged matters. With glee I discarded many papers from our two years as foster parents, and consolidated the adoption papers into one accordian file.
I went through the drawers and equipped each with plenty of pens, pencils, markers. I hid the scissors way at the back where I hoped only I would find them. (Amanda and Joe have their own, but you know how scissors go wandering.)
Now the computer desk has only the computer, the printer, and a paper tray. The shelves behind me have writing books, stationery and computer supplies. Active files are tidy on the big desk.
TIDY ME
I am blissful in my new space. The trouble is that I believe the order will last, and I’m really too experienced for such delusions. It’s like giving up smoking. You do it over and over, always hoping, and always relapsing. Or like love when you’re young. First you say, “This is The One.” Then, after several, you say “Is this The One?” After many more, you’re likely to say, “Fuck it, there ISN'T One.”
Still, I did give up smoking on the fifth try, when I was 36. I did find The One – I won’t say how many tries – when I was 48 (even if he does leave his stuff on my desk). Is it possible that at 64 I have finally conquered clutter?
NEXT WEEK: Finding My Better Self at a Writers' Retreat
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You didn’t say, but have you developed a special salve that is applied at will to accomplish great organizational works such as this one? It could be called Essence of Iris. What possesses us to finally tackle a messy spot? Was it that you couldn’t get another piece of paper on the desk? Or you felt particaulrly secure and happy that day? For me, it was the kitchen junk drawer recently that I had opened possibly 3000 times, each time telling myself what an unholy mess it was and what the hell is that piece of plastic for anyway, etc.? I think I finally snapped when I could no longer CLOSE the drawer or add anything more to it. Or maybe it was just the phase of the moon. It took HOURS to safely transfer much of the stuff to other drawers throughout the house.
oh my blessed & delusional one. yes, you found the One, & bless his little cotton socks, BUT…the tidy are born that way, & so are we & thus shall it ever be amen. the very look & style of their permanent order is completely different from our own ephemeral kind. i’m sorry. but it does feel SO good to clear up…again.
luli
Very Impressive! Come do my clutter next!
Julie – Any such salve would undoubtedly be illegal, and I would NEVER use it. I do offer a bit of free advice – transfer at least 30% of the stuff to the round file.
Catherine – Ever so sorry, but I am too busy blogging and napping to bust anyone’s clutter but my own
Luli – Why would you rain on my parade? This tidiness has lasted four weeks!! Well, sort of. Except for the jars of leather paint, and brushes on the big desk. And the dog on a blanket on the floor. And the pile of clothes that Amanda dumped out of the suitcase onto my office bed when we returned from Atlanta.
U know miss lady I really enjoy reading this. I think I am gonna have to add to my fav’s
Lina – I’m so glad to hear it!