Clean Sweep

Well, not really. But at least it's cleaner. Many years ago I purchased my dining room table and chairs. The house I was renting had a table and chairs that took up all the space in the tiny kitchen. I knew that I wouldn't always be in this house and when a friend saw this table at a yard sale I purchased it. It is a lovely oak table, one pedestal with a leaf that allows it to sit six. I rarely have the leaf in it. But I put the table in the dining room of the rental and I was using the dining room as a sewing room and there it stayed as a catch all and cutting table.

Fast forward to current house and I think I've eaten at the table less than ten times. I'm single and just never formally sit at the table. It has been used as a sewing center and catch all for a long time and has been (still is) a hot mess. I prefer to use it as a study center. Today as I was doing my last scripture writing for 2015, I was in my sewing room using the big office desk that I currently use as a sewing desk. I was sitting there thinking I really need to make space for my computer and my bible things and it hit me that I have a perfectly good table but it was holding everything under the sun.

Boxes of knitting goodies, project bags, cutting mat from the last time I used it as a sewing center, crafting items from last years Christmas presents and Christmas bags and boxes from last Christmas, 2014 not 2015 were covering the table! Yes, as I said it was a hot mess and I am such a clutter queen. I am the one the book Sink Reflections was written for and the Fly Lady is my friend. I haven't been flying in quite some time. To be honest I've never really gotten off the ground. I have the book pulled out to reread it and I know where my home blessing book is located. I just need to put it in place. I'll come back to this in minute.

I realized that the hot mess had to go and really needed the table to function as my study center, my war room! I spent quite some time this morning putting things away and I'm still not completely finished. I still have a few things to put away but I have bibles out and notebooks out and bible study books stacked and ready to use. I'm actually sitting at the table and typing this blog post! It is a great feeling but as I sit here and realize how great it feels to have most of the clutter gone one thing occurs to me, I don't like this table or the uncomfortable chairs!!!! I'm sitting here laughing. The chairs have issues. Three of the six need to have rungs glued back in place and I need to use some cushions or I need to purchase a new table and chairs. I'm leaning towards the new table and chairs, but I'm a very frugal and why spend money when this table works. I'll be shopping for cushions soon.

Back to Fly Lady and my clutter, this isn't a resolution but a fact of life. I've got to get my clutter under control. My house is a mess and I am embarrassed to have anyone over. I am going to reread Sink Reflections and I'm going to work on decluttering. I have great book shelf in the dining area. But in the move five years ago, it lost two shelves. I either need to get two shelves made or ditch this bookshelf and get one that is functional. I have lots and lots of books and this needs to be a working bookcase. I have a lot of bible study books that are currently boxed in the garage because I don't have enough space for them in my house. Again, clutter fills up the area and isn't functional. I want my dining table to be a study center. As I said in an earlier post, I'm ready for my relationship with the Lord to be back in green valleys and that's not going to happen if I'm studying His Word.

My home isn't going to be open for me to have small bible studies or knitting groups over if it isn't decluttered and usable. When I moved in 5 1/2 years ago, that was my dream, using this home God provided as a place of study and fellowship. The dining room table was the tip of the iceberg, but I'm ready to dive in swim around. I'm ready to use this home as I originally intended.

I'm so blessed! Cluttered, but blessed!