June 8 - Lisa's Musings (on spring cleaning) and Every Day Life

The other day it hit me -- there's way too much clutter in my house.

I looked around (without my blinders on) and what I saw was stuff everywhere.

No, not like a hoarder kind of "there's-stuff-everywhere" sort of way; just an it's-gone-beyond-looking-lived-in "there's stuff everywhere" sort of way. I have a huge house, it's not like there aren't lots and lots of places to stash the stuff I really want to keep.

The recycling bins aren't far away, and I do pay for trash pick-up. Plus, I can take any big stuff to one of several re-sale stores or to the dump, depending on the stuff's condition.

I'm not sure how it got this way because it's not like I have kids dropping stuff everywhere or a husband leaving fishing gear, stinky clothing or sneakers in the living room.

Sure, the dogs like to drag their toys all over the living room, but ... that's the least of it.

Bottom line, there are two dogs and one person in this house.

It doesn't have to be this way, and it shouldn't look this way.

So, since Monday -- I know, I know, it's only been three days -- I've taken a half hour out of my day to deal with the stuff. One portion of a counter, one drawer, one corner of a shelf, at a time.

That way I'm not overwhelmed with the enormity of what's ahead.

I'm reasonably certain that my spring cleaning will last into summer and fall and probably winter. But when I'm done, I know there will be an amazing sense of accomplishment.

But before that, there will be plenty of sorting, cleaning, tossing, recycling and trips to the appropriate places to get rid of some of the stuff.

Simplify, simplify, simplify.