Discoveries

During our recent branch renovation, we had to pack up our belongings so that the painters could paint the staff area, including my office. We did this quickly as we had almost no advanced warning as to when the painting was to begin. Even so, I took the time to toss out quite a lot of dead wood mainly because I did not want to pack what was not needed or unpack it later.

Now when my sons were little and I needed some alone time from them, I’d tell them to go clean their room and would say, “ and don’t come out until it’s done!” knowing that they would be in there for hours. You see, they would find things that they forgot they had and start playing with them. Periodically I’d ask, “aren’t you through yet?!?’ just to see how much more down time I had. Most often they said no, so I’d go back to doing whatever I wanted. Unpacking my office was like that. I found things I had not seen in awhile, things I wondered why I’d kept, and things that just were not even mine. And, I used the ‘handle it once rule’. Once I picked something up I had to resolve it – keep or toss. I tossed a lot more. Next I’m tackling my file cabinet. I only have two drawers of stuff, but it is that- stuff. I’m sure some can go.

This project came at the right time of the year, too, because I tend to really take stock of things in the fall. I clean house and swap closets, and toss things out better in the fall, early winter than any other time of year. Maybe I just like for spring to have a great start.