Loving the brighter, longer days … not loving that every speck of dust and yarn fluff is now glaringly obvious on every surface and my artistically arranged displays of goodies are looking rather like heaps of tired debris! So, against my better judgement, I have decided to tackle the inevitable ‘Spring Clean’ . I am not a great fan of housework at the best of times, it just seems so never-ending, often pointless and despairingly BORING! However, because I’m an odd dichotomy, (and a ‘typical’ Virgo … if you believe in that nonsense), with a smattering of OCD, I do like things to be clean and tidy…
Often, my brand of housecleaning involves shoving everything out of sight, woe betide anyone who pulls open a drawer or cupboard door in my flat, avalanche warning anyone? But, every so often, usually when nothing else will fit in , or more often, because I am starting to get annoyed at not being able to find anything, I bite the bullet and start filling black sacks. I am always amazed at how many of these sacks I do actually fill, why do I keep old envelopes/odd socks/clothes that don’t fit (and let’s face it, never will), broken jewellery, ancient make-up and magazines I only ever rifle through when having a clear out? (On the subject of ‘Why’s’, why does my hoover absolutely refuse to suck up the tiniest of wool fragments but will quite happily devour an entire sock?).
Living, as I do, in a converted Georgian apartment brings it’s own challenges, mainly a dire lack of storage. I have one, yes just the one, deep cupboard in the hallway, another, very odd, tall, space that is only about 5 inches deep, and which looks like there is a door that leads to the outside … made odder as I live on the fourth floor, and the ubiquitous kitchen cabinets. Although I have two large living rooms, my cosy bedroom doesn’t even have room for a wardrobe.
All of this is made up for the fact that I am just a five minute stroll from all the facilities of the town centre and have stunning sea views, but it does mean that keeping tidy is a pain. My main storage solutions have been to pile high pretty boxes and picnic baskets and to use wicker trunks in place of coffee tables. I am still pleased with this arrangement but am always on the look out for more ideas, it is important to find the balance between being decorative and practical, without giving the appearance of living in a junk shop! Also, as unfairly as it seems, if you are a gorgeously cookie twenty something, having a flat bursting at the seams with broken mannequins draped in knitwear is considered ‘artistic’, when you’re a 54 year old shaped like a barrel, ‘bag-lady’ or ‘batty hoarder’ comes to mind … lol.
In between extricating wanted items from the clutches of my vacuum cleaner and thumbing through ancient knitting magazines, I found myself having a little peek at my nemesis … Pinterest, for ideas. Thought I’d save you some precious hours and share a few favourites. 🙂
Well, I had better get back to the grind … 😉 Before I do, may I wish you all a very happy Earth Day! … Let’s all remind ourselves of how wonderful our World truly is (and perhaps celebrate it in a T-shirt?.. lol).
Happy Organising … ❤ x
Wightstitches ... with bells on 