Surreal. Fuzzy. Blurred. Messy. Unorganized. Ridiculous. Any and all would apply here. I go in there to find something: scissors, and it becomes so damned frustrating. The room is as big as it looks. No space to even re-pile things. And even if I did take away the collage elements--where would I take them away TO? I have painting things, I have quilting things, I have used clothing to be used in fabric collage, I have a closet of commercial fabric, I have projects in lidded tubs, stacked along the walls. I have rolls and rolls of batting given to me by I don't even remember who.No wonder I try to avoid that room.
I think it's the family disease. Saving things. In case we might need them. Not being able to part with something that may have a use someday, not now, but someday. My dad had 6 cubic yards of it saved in his house. I know. I bagged it all. And paid the dumpster charges.
The yardage was selected, purchased and lovingly folded, sorted by color, and stored in the fabric closet on shelving installed specifically for it. Lovely to look at. I did use it when I belonged to a quilting group. For the odd "block of the month" or charity quilt. And I freely offered it to many beginning quilters, for their first projects. But my wild taste in fabric and color wasn't all that popular here in Maine. Still isn't. Freddie Moran.
The really FUNNY thing is that I PREFER the Shaker look. Spare and simple. Function over style. Bare floors. Just a table and chairs. No fluff. And I live with OVERLOAD. Ten pillows on the slipcovered sofas. Each. Piles of books. Too many houseplants which I forget to water because I put them upstairs where the light is better and never go up there. "UP THERE" is where my studio used to be. Until my knees started to go arthritic.
Today's bowl is filled with frustration.
I prefer the Shaker look also. I used to save everything, and I mean everything. I think it came from childhood when we moved every 2 years as a military family and had to get rid of a lot of 'stuff'. It has taken me years but I have gotten back to the cleaner lines. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Go to your couch and remove 2 of the pillows. Put them in a bag out of sight. Live with the couch for a while. If you don't miss the pillows/cushions donate them to a thrift store or start a garage/yard sale area somewhere in the house/garage for a sale in the spring. The clutter will not clear itself up, but only get worse. Don't put anything else in there until something gets removed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Paula completely. Pick one thing-fill a grocery bag a day or a week. You sound exactly like I did(and still do occasionally)
ReplyDeleteIt is overwhelming and being a packrat comes too easy. It's the story of my life as well. Can't get to the stuff so do nothing and complain about it. I could hear my voice in every syllable of your post. I too, love the spare, Shaker-look. When we go to Amish country for a few days I come back full of vows to make it so..not happening yet.
I wish we could be closer since I have the feeling that we could shake each other by the shoulders and get on with it. Ever damn day I can find a perfctly reasonable excuse for not getting a move on.
Wish I could help you but it looks like we were separated at birth.
Oh, and another thing...please stop taking pictures of my sewing room and publishing them...
my word verification is winer...seriously.