Admission time! I have deadline issues. Well, it appears that way when I think of school days. I drove my parents crazy being up late at night doing homework or projects. I guess I’m a true night owl and procrastinator! My mom was a teacher in her early years, so she must have felt defeated by my work habits.
How does this fit in with my little story of today. Over the last few months, I have been tasked by a bit of a “bug” issue to clean up my surroundings at home. I couldn’t agree more, I have collected way too much stuff since moving to Regina in 2011. And maybe I’m admitting to you that I have a problem when it comes to buying quirky little items that I think I need!! Like who needs t-shirts from every concert they attend. Who needs can koozies from every concert or event they go to. Who needs to go shoe and clothing shopping if there is a sale on. And let me just say, I love a good sale and the proof of that is how many rolls of plastic wrap, sandwich bags and wax paper now sitting together in a collection. I am finding this out by sorting through my apartment. When people say they are purging, it must feel so good and that is what I’m working on. However, it isn’t just clothing and koozies. I need to remove some furniture, plastic containers, caps and sport equipment. The apartment is clean, and the items do not impede me from walking in my home but they do give a sense of being restricted, closed in. I will say that coming to work, going to events on a regular basis are great ways to avoid the obvious.
I moved to Regina in 2011 and with that came all my loot from Alberta. So, the things I had when I left Regina many years ago have come home to roost along with new things. I am proud of some of the things I have collected, items from the 80’s up to now. All things with history and those have to be the hardest things to let go of. Golf clubs, a bicycle, skis, snowshoes, stereo equipment, vinyl, cds, plants antique furniture, artwork and photo albums and photos – so many photos lumped into the home. And alcohol! I don’t like drinking alone, apparently!
While throwing my hands up on a daily basis and finding other things to do instead of sorting and moving things out to charity, I’ll do almost anything else. Has anyone else felt that way?? Oh good, I am not alone! Then you get that call – “We want to check on your apartment.” And what try to find a reason to terminate my stay. I hope not! But moving forward!! I continue to look at items and lump them together for the next round of sorting and hope that the company that I rent from doesn’t try to kick me out for having “things”. As people say, moving is a wonderful thing, it helps clearing away the things you have just pushed to the back of the closet. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day, but not unlike my school days – DO NOT LEAVE YOUR WORK UNDONE!
In a final thought, taking on some of our mom’s stuff, caring for her memories and respecting them have me hanging on to them. Covid 19 locking us away for so many months left me feeling unmotivated and I’ve not really snapped out of it. But little steps make a big difference and I see that being surrounded by stuff is not a freeing, you do not need all the latest cool stuff to be fulfilled and plants can be a headache! Pressing on and being more select on my collections now! In the meantime, perhaps I have something you are looking for!!!
