Decluttering blog 2: the assessment

Decluttering blog 2: the assessment 

Thursday, September 06, 2018 

Well folks, the gal who came to assess my mess is NOT a decluttering / downsizing specialist. Her organization stuff is from personal / professional experience, but more like "organize your closets/laundry room" sort of organizer. No certifications, etc. She's young, she's enthusiastic, and she's the only one my "Home Advisor" brought up for a project of the sort I requested. Oh, and the reason she didn't show was that she had written me down as a "maybe"! She wasn't sure from our phone conversation whether I was truly serious about this project! 

But I'm willing to give a youngster a shot, and I walked her through Barb's house of horrors, from the office that became a junk room, to the guest room that kind of gathered storage stuff, to the bedroom with my Imelda Marcos sized collection of running shoes, to the various spots in the house where tri gear gathers, to the exercise / TV room to the basement where the kids still have things that were there 10 years ago when they moved out. Make that 11 years ago. 

And... my bubbly little organizer lady decided she would advise starting with that basement area, do it in two three-hour sessions, and we put it on the books for two Saturdays: October 6 & 13th. She says while she works on that room, I can keep working on the office upstairs (which is my personal "first room to revive" goal). But she wants to clear out that space downstairs, clean it out, open up air circulation, etc. She says she likes to start with the dirtiest parts of a job first... that space would certainly qualify! 

I'm somewhat troubled by the organizer's suggestion about "little baskets" to keep my "stuff" in line... no, no, no! The biggest hurdle is GETTING RID OF STUFF, not storing stuff I no longer love, need, or use! So... like I said, I'm giving this a shot... who knows? We might BOTH learn a thing or six! 

Between now and then I expect to continue to "piece" at things, but I also have some upcoming interruptions to routine... MOBYCARP, are you ready and uninjured for the Wineglass Marathon? I've got a bit of driving to do to get there, but have blocked out the time to do it! 

Meantime, today is going well: 

• Morning brisk walk before breakfast 
• Healthy breakfast 
• Water vessels filled, hydration well under way by now. 
• Workout with the coach was today 

Hope your Spark-day is going similarly well, and that you are making the best decisions you can in the context of your day, this one and only Thursday, September 6th, 2018 we will ever get!