Week 14

Six tips for forcing yourself to do a dreaded task. See "the Happiness Project" at far left on favorite blogs list. I should have them tattooed on my forehead. Or at the very least (which is my preferred option) tape them to my bathroom mirror. Ugh. Week number fourteen of the drawer a day challenge and the dynamics and enthusiasm level have changed a tad but I am still plugging away. For those of you who know me, I know what you're thinking. "Wow she has a lot of crap in that house!" I bet even those of you who don't know me are thinking that. And to reply to that statement, even though unverbalized, I would have to say. "Why, yes. Yes I do." To go through a box or drawer a day and still be going at week number 14? Yes, and there's still a lot to conquer, believe me. And to my defense I would have to say that I am probably not doing a box or drawer every day. I am still in the game so consider myself still successful at this project. Yesterday I found a 50 yr. old white with red polka dotted belt with matching afternoon gloves. I also went through a box of pictures and threw out the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th copies of some pictures. Amazing break through for me. Still on the right track. Going at a fast enough speed? Maybe not, but still plugging along at it. Yesterday while I was going through a box my husband was in the room with me and we were visiting and watching television while I was sorting. The television was on the channel that has that show about hoarders and commercials kept coming on for that show. Vivid images of a woman climbing through stacks of stuff and trash just to get to another part of her house flashed across my eyes and that image is enblazoned in my mind forever. So when I was reluctant to part with something I obviously didn't/don't need the husband would say, "You can get rid of it, or you can be on TV in a couple of years." (meaning I would be on that hoarder show. Arggghhhh.) The husband always knows the right things to say. The truth be told, we ALL know at least one hoarder of mega proportions that could qualify as a star of that show. And if you're saying, "Well, I don't", then look around you a little deeper and harder, they are there, I can assure you. It's not all that uncommon. In my opinion, at least. When people would ask me how someone could let their house get so far away from them as a mega hoarder, I never had the answer. Now I do. The same as with any project or task in life whether good or bad. "One day at a time, or one step by step." I know...it sounds like I'm quoting from 70's and 80's TV sitcom titles. All judgement aside, hoarders do start out with empty houses and it happens, quite innocently, step by step, with good intentions of saving the pumpkin seeds for the next garden (though why she had to save the rotting pumpkin, I'll never understand), or save the chicken bones for fertilizer for the garden or saving hundreds or thousands of buttons because they'll need them some day. Not everything each one of us does makes sense to someone else. Whether because they went through hard times when they had nothing or are doing it for some other need....I don't know. I only know that mega hoarders need compassion and help. I also only know that it takes constant monitoring and drawer a day challenges for some of us to not fall into that trap of being enslaved by items, things and stuff. To those of you who may already be enslaved by items, things and stuff, I say to you that it's never too late to start dejunking. Step by step, day by day, here a little, there a little. You CAN do it.