(Sung to the tune of 1968's "Time of the Season" by The Zombies.)
Gentle reader, I've been behind on decluttering as well as blogging, but that's
okay. I'm usually quite diligent about mentioning the next free shred
day, but I didn't make it this year. Too busy! It makes sense that at
some point, the mountain of stuff from deceased relatives reaches a
tolerable level and life focus shifts for longer stretches. Enough has been chipped away,
and now the stuff left is mine or things I've inherited and could
conceivably keep. I still need pare down, though. I have a guest room
that could ideally be usable, and right now it's too crowded with a
hodpodge of grandparents' keepsakes, my dad's photos, and my own
stuff.
I had a very busy spring workwise, so this summer, I decided to
just veg for the first part of the break. As in watching bad movies
on cable because I can.
Gone in Sixty Seconds is not a total
waste of time. I admired the cars and some of the humorous dialogue.
Is Angelina Jolie's character realistic? No. But I was still glad I
watched it. (I also tend to rewatch Harry Potter movies in the summer, but that's higher quality.)
Sometimes it's the season for relaxation. For multiple summers,
I'd go on a major decluttering spree giving away things like an old
hatchet, vintage cleaver, fishing poles, and whatever weird but cool
things I could find in my grandparents' old house. Friends were often
amused and excited to see the current list of odd items leaving my
home. I got a lot done, but it wore me out some. I'm not particularly
left-brained, so it usually took a lot of mental and emotional energy
to dig into that stuff.
This summer I decided to relax, so I'm having a cleaning service
come by twice a month. They don't declutter so much as do the basics
of housecleaning. Two very nice young ladies work for less than two
hours. I've noticed I end up cleaning for the cleaning ladies before
they come over—you don't want to get embarrassed by the kitchen,
right? So their coming keeps me on my toes some. I doubt I'll keep
the service past the summer, but there is something lightening and
relaxing about having the basics done in such a short period of time.
Knowing it'll be taken care of has freed me up to do more nitpicky
things, like find my old pairs glasses from high school and my 20s
and finally donate them. Fun declutter fact:
Take old eyeglasses to
Walmart optometry to donate old frames to the Lions Club charity.
I suppose there could be some judgement in hiring a cleaning
service. In theory it's better (and frugal) to get good at cleaning my home
quickly and regularly, and I have tried the Fly Lady system for
“side-tracked home executives” at various times. I think
cleaning one's own home is a necessity for most people, but I've also
heard that if you aren't talented at something and can afford to hire
someone else, there's nothing wrong in having someone else do it. I
recently heard blogger and internet guru Michael Hyatt talk in podcast about his wife reaching
that same conclusion about housekeeping. You also provide someone
else a job. I have mixed feelings about admitting someone else can do
it faster and easier, but my hope is that by having the basics done
this summer, I can keep channeling energy into other things,
including relaxing.
One weird chore on my list, though, is finally selling a couple of
slide rules on eBay. A while back they were worth selling, so
I'm hoping the market is still strong. I first saw a slide rule in a
museum back when I was in elementary school—for the younger
folks, they were the predecessors to the calculator. So yes, I have
found two in my house, from the 40s or 50s, and yes,
it's worth taking the time to list them, package them, and mail them
out. I have to make enough of a profit to make the effort, but
sometimes eBay is worth it. It would also help fund my summer
cleaning service, so while things might cancel out some, I end up
feeling like I'm getting a luxurious treat. This summer, it's worth
it.
