Divide and ......

A place for everything and everything in its place. This saying has been around for years, and years ago it was easier for me to heed it's advice. But, after living in the same house for twenty some years, I have run out of places for those 'everythings' that need a place.

I try. I have bookcases for books and file cabinets for papers and shelves for games and puzzles. I have cans and containers for crayons, markers, colored pencils and plain ones too. I have drawers for clothes and closets-- full of them. But, there is a whole category of things which I have learned will probably never get a place. These include cassette tapes, old jewelry, baby toys, old notebooks, knick knacks and hundreds of other types of things that live in 'junk spots' at my house. These are things I can not bring myself to throw away, so instead, I have granted them all temporary permission to stay.

Today my granddaughter and I sorted through a shoebox of old jewelry that has been temporarily shelved in my closet, after I gave away my jewelry box that was too big to fit on my dresser.

The big green Clark shoe box contains diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rings. No, not really. It's full of costume type necklaces and bracelets from yard sales, home jewelry parties and the mall stores. Nothing expensive. Kenzie's eyes lit up every time she moved something I gave her into--- her pile. I took out some pieces I may wear again and put them into one of my smaller jewelry boxs. We put Kenz's collection in a basket. Afterwards, I still had the green shoe box, now half full, so--- I put back in the closet.

Something doesn't add up. I was supposed to be--- organizing. It seems like this is happening to me more and more. I try to divide and conquer, but end up conquered with more divided stuff.

My sister Jean says the only real solution to getting rid of stuff is to--- move. I think she's right. I hold on to so much for sentimental reasons. Other things stay just because I spent so much time finding them a place to 'be'. The stuff in the kitchen 'junk drawer' probably stays for about ten years before it's replaced with new JUNK!

Since becoming a day care Nana, I have probably doubled the amount of incoming items making the whole process more complex.

I'm so tired I can't think about it tonite. There's always tommorrow to continue looking for a place for everything. Right now, I'm going to go find a place for my head ---on my pillow.