Where the Wild Things Are
February 17, 2010, by Cathy Fischer
It’s more than a month away, yet Cathy Fischer is already obsessed with spring cleaning.
“A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it.”
—George Carlin
There is a spider web in the back of my brain, and at its center a big fat spider waits patiently. It started a few years back, after moving in to my 860 square foot apartment on the 22nd floor of a mid-century high-rise.
If you came to visit, you’d probably think, Gee, she is neat (as in tidy). Nothing is obstructing the magnificent view, and everything is in its place. There are no kids’ toys to trip you up as you walk across the gleaming hardwood floors, and with Rosa’s help every other week, the place stays pretty clean.
If you were to go through my drawers (but of course you’re not that type of person) you might think, Hmm, pretty orderly: socks with their respective mates, underwear… color-coded?
(When black and leopard are dominant, it’s easy.) Clothes hang on flocked hangers and t-shirts sit neatly in their cubbies. The bathroom is small yet uncluttered, but wait… what lies behind the gold curtain to the right of the front door? You may have missed it (I was hoping you had).
The second bathroom in this late ‘60s luxury apartment has been tastefully converted to an office. But now, it’s the spider’s lair—a scary place. It’s where the wild things are! A quick inventory of the small room reveals stacked boxes from my original move, photo albums, luggage, books, rolls of wrapping paper, framed artwork, and who knows what else.
Is this a junk drawer gone bonkers? I’m pretty sure that I’m not a hoarder (I hear there’s a new TV show about those who can’t let go of stuff), but I do accumulate things of beauty and sentimental value. Plus, there’s just not a lot of closet space.
I had planned to make the room into a nice storage area including a rack for seasonal clothes and a small desk, while still accommodating Cleo’s litter box and a reasonable amount of “storable” stuff. The original start date for the project was Memorial weekend 2008, but on that particular Friday I got my breast cancer diagnosis. So, instead of diving headlong into the project, I went into escapist mode: movies, friends, drinks, etc. So here I am, more than a year later, I’m healthy and have no good excuse not to begin—except that everything and anything else is so much more appealing! I am well aware of the feng shui wisdom in regards to clutter. I’ve got books on paper tiger taming and organizing from the inside out, but what I don’t have is the oomph! to just do it! Help!
Help? I guess that’s what I need. Would it be worth my money to hire someone to get me started? Have any of you done this? Would I rather put bamboo shoots under my nails? I have a talent for procrastination masked as productivity: cooking, cleaning, exercising, connecting with friends and family—so many excellent ways to avoid the spider’s web.
Yes, I’m rather certain that I will feel better once this project is underway and even more so when it’s over. Here’s how it’s supposed to work: Remove clutter and it will make room for good things in your life. (So, the man of my dreams is just waiting for me to get organized?)
I can visualize myself starting: A beacon of light shines into the dark room and the Hallelujah Chorus begins to swell. I realize that the spider’s web is indeed a work of art as she welcomes me into her lair.
February 17th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
My Darling Clever Cat, if the man of your dreams came through the door and took a right, he could get lost in there. Sorting clutter should not be imagined as the opening to a teen horror movie! Come on girl, put a scarf over your head and dive in. If you bring out everything you think you cannot go on without to the middle of your lovely living room, you’ll be amazed how quickly it will all find new owners. Don’t make me turn you in to that TV show.
February 17th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
I’m trying to picture a bathroom being turned into a closet. What did you do with the toilet? Do tell! You have ever reason to have put things off for a year. When I got desperately and suddenly ill 5 years ago the aftermath of clutter told the story. It was like time stopped on March 3, 2005. Old bills, newspapers, store coupons — It was all practically time-stamped “IN CRISIS:DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 2009″. All that crap holds energy! Let it GOOOOOOOOOOOO! You’ll feel so much better. Or at least you will until you realize you accidently threw out stuff that you need or mislabeled important files, or forget to cash that check,or…
February 17th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
You have to be in the mood to do spring cleaning. It just has to hit you. And it’s so much better when you’re in the mood. You get it done so much faster. Since it’s not exactly life threatening, I say wait until you feel like it!
February 17th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Such sage advice. Christie you scare me more than a teen horror movie with your truth and the threat to turn me in to the Hoarders show. Katgoo, the owner before me did the deed of removing all evidence of the bathroom. You would never know if I hadn’t told you. Your advice to “Let it GOOOO!” is so true, it’s weighing on me somehow. But Carine, you speak to me with your patient way of saying, you’ve got to feel it to do it. I think the feeling is coming on, but slowly and now I’m “out” about it, so that’s a first step. Thanks all and keep the suggestions coming.
February 17th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I totally agree about having to be in the mood. In the last couple of years, I have been using mercury retrograde as an excuse to clear out those long-dead stagnant piles of crap. (actually mostly papers and clothes) That seems to work pretty well for me, I actually feel like I’m accomplishing something during that time.
February 17th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
I have a teenager and a husband who has no idea how to do anything. I’m a year round, four season kind of cleaner. Yes, some piles last longer than others BUT there are ALWAYS piles somewhere for me to attend to! I wish it were only a Spring thing. Seriously.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Yes. By all means hire someone and get the job done. Such a job is a great one to have a coach, walking and talking you through the decisions it takes to move out what is no longer relevant in life. This is a lot of what I do and from experience I can say being a team gets these kind of jobs done. So get yourself a co-conspirator, however and whoever. The next thing you know you will have forgotten this job was ever there.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Heck, Cathy, I still have my I.D. card from UCSB in 1973 and a collection of matchboxes from long-closed Los Angeles restaurants. (Remember Yanks, 72 Market Street, Les Anges, the West Beach Cafe, Rebecca’s…) So, don’t look to me for any guidance on this topic. I’m a sentimental sap who imbues every dog-eared ticket stub with meaning, memory and maudlin emotion. And I have the clutter to prove it!
(Yeah, what did you do with the toilet? Build a desk around it?)
February 17th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
You’re lucky it’s all in one spot! I have so many piles of “very important stuff”. I’ve often said to myself,”one drawer at a time”. And then, each day is filled with taking care of my family and working. Is cleaning up the clutter really what I want to do when I have a little bit of spare time? NO! I’d much rather take a yoga class, visit with a friend, go for a walk, read my book, see a movie, cook, garden or dance! Cleaning up the clutter is something I can not plan to do. I just have to attack it when the inspiration surges from deep within me when I can’t stand the mess a second longer. Bless this mess!
February 18th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Well now I feel so much better for having read this article.
Wherever I look there is clutter. I DO one clutter at a time.
I agree with Carine’s sentiments. Go with the flow
February 18th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
As best I can recall, Cathy, here’s how I’ve handled clutter in the past: 1) get a friend who LOVES to organize and set a time to lock yourselves in and get it done between food and wine; 2) in a flash of committment, pull everything out of the space and pile it in the most organized room there is – nothing like seeing that mess in a clear space to motivate you to get it sifted and back where it belongs. OR . . . just wait til the Spirit moves you.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:29 am
It’s a relief to see am I not alone here. From “bless this mess” to “go with the flow” these words of encouragement help to make my shame subside a bit and the horror of the task ahead, a little less daunting. I think I’ll start small, a couple hours at a time and then enlist friends or professionals to help with the heavy lifting. It’ll be a spring thing, the whole season that is. Oh and dearpru, the toilet is not a desk (but how green would that be?), nor a receptacle for any kind of waste—it, the sink, and any other evidence of the former bathroom—gone and in their place—too much stuff!
February 20th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Well Cathy, I awoke from my nap and went into auto-pilot. I started clockwise and a few hours later, I had sorted stuff into trash bags, moved furniture around, ooh and not to forget: the mighty vacuum
. Ready to spring, when it hits the east coast. Good Luck and thanks for the push!
February 20th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
cathy, i agree with debra and a lot of others here. i used to do ‘professional/personal’ organizing for a while and it definitely helps to have someone there to help coach you. sometimes a friend (and wine) is great but the professional will be a bit less sentimental. they also have training of some sort on how to help you let go. good luck!
February 21st, 2010 at 6:35 pm
I’m no stranger to clutter: I just happened upon this blog while wading through some 900+ emails I realized I would probably never read. Here’s what works best for me. First, I realize my environment is never going to be 100% clutter free. Once I got over that, I felt much better and could deal with the concept of chipping away a little at a time. Set yourself a regular time (say, 1/2 an hour every Tuesday evening) or as often as is feasible with your schedule. The time constraint is crucial. If you limit yourself, you’ll get more done…really. Then just start by sorting–get some big cardboard boxes to start, or visit The Container Store–that’s always an inspiration for me! Spending money to get organized raises the stakes! You can start eliminating while you sort or save that for the next round, but just work at it for 1/2 hour each session. You’ll soon find yourself spending more time on it than you allotted, once you get rolling. Good luck!
February 21st, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Oooh! I’m actually starting to get inspired. How great that Louise G. felt the “push” after reading this post. And Iris and Amelia are recommending that my intention get wrapped around putting my money where my mouth—or I should say my stuff—is. Yes, that often does work. Thanks so much everyone for the kind, non-critical, empathetic words!
February 24th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
OMG, I’m obsessed with the same thing. Trying seeing the movie No Impact Man and then looking around your house. Yikes, I want to give everything away! I laughed all the way through your post, thinking of your closet in Santa Monica. Ya know what, maybe we need just one closet of chaos as a balance to the order……
March 1st, 2010 at 12:14 pm
I just got back from a month on the Colorado River. My first thought as I walked in the door was, “I’ll never get all this shit on a raft!” I’m starting my Spring cleaning post haste.