Brrrrr

It's chilly here. So chilly in fact that a friend of mine who is renovating his house, and doesn't have his heating system fully installed, woke up yesterday to find that some water sitting out in his kitchen had ice floating in it. Indoors! Makes my only-maginally busted house seem like a dream.

In less than a week, the kitchen lady (and yes,that's what I've deemed her official title) is coming by to dispense advice about kitchen storage, cabinets, countertops, appliances, design, etc. I'm very excited. But I have to tidy up the house first.

I have a small problem with flat surfaces. I tend to cover them. I don't even know I'm doing it. I am so happy when a room is all tidy...but sooner or later (and honestly, it's usually sooner), I cover the flat surfaces with stuff - knitting, mail, magazines, books, socks to be darned, tools, post-its, cat toys, etc. I thought more surfaces might be the answer. But no.

In contrast, someone at work is moving to Italy. They went there for a visit, and decided they'd rather be there permanently. During their brief U.S. stop to clear out their house, they said they had an urge to try and put everything in storage, but then they realized they'd been living out of a backpack for a month. They just didn't need all their "stuff."

Meanwhile, someome else at work, they actually hired one of their friends to come in and clear their desk for them....sort files, etc. I haven't gotten to that point....yet.

I have been donating to the thrifty like mad. I mean, if it was in storage for a year, and I didn't miss it, then i probably don't need it, right? And I try not to accumulate useless stuff. Candy dishes, free pens, cheap plastic toys, mugs, etc. but sometimes, you feel attached to "stuff." Or you feel compelled to keep it, cause you know as soon as you throw it away....