I walked into my bedroom last night and felt dismayed over the state of my supposed personal sanctuary. The top of my dresser was under stacks of clean laundry, and also items emptied from pockets. A few candles were scattered around from *who knows when* the last time we had a romantic candle-lit night. (cough). Of course, there was loose change, business cards and dental floss.
I was reminded of this Small Thing from last year around this time, and I'm pulling it out because it is JUST THE THING I need to help me find my surfaces.
Read on:
My studio has taken a real hit lately.
Last night, I pulled in late after an event at my daughter Lauren's church and went straight to bed. As I dragged my feet though the house and up the stairs, I noticed how every horizontal surface in my house has something on it that isn't supposed to be there. The kitchen table, counters, coffee table, couch, end tables, steps, desk, nightstand, bed.....if it has a surface, there are items on it that don't belong there.
Clutter, lounging about like it has all the time in the world. Resting, taking it easy, putting its feet up wherever it finds itself. "This couch seems like a great place to rest my socks," clutter thinks to itself. "And I shall leave these books scattered on the coffee table 'for later,' along with a coffee cup and paper plate."
Clutter loves surfaces, and feels so at home on any plane it finds.
Today's Small Thing is to surface clean.
Don't spend a gob of time deep cleaning drawers and closets. Heck, no one is going to see the inside of those places anyway. For today, simply be shallow and hit the tops of things. Take a trash bag and scoop the paper plates and wrappers and papers that have drifted about, and gather up the things that are laying around like they own the place. Look at each horizontal surface with fresh eyes and remove the offending things that are too lazy to get up and move on their own.
How many different surfaces can you improve today? With each plane, your attitude will lift and your home will amaze you with its magazine-like quality. Wow, girl. You're resurfacing into something called "joy."
Hi, Coffee Table. I've missed you underneath all that clutter. You look so shiny today.
10 Points Each Plane
Let's make this fun, shall we? 10 points for each horizontal surface you clean up. Limit 15. YOU COULD EARN 150 POINTS today!!