THE VAULT
a significant portion of No Joy In '06 involves overhauling my apartment. and THAT, sadly but surely, includes organizing my closets*.
and, seeing as january is almost over, i decided to actually START on the closet overhaul last weekend, thinking it would be a two-hour project.
two. hours.
HA! my closet laughed in the face of two hours.
i mean, every time i took a box of things out of my closet, another box would sprout in its place. "stuff" seemed to fiendishly multiply until it looked like my closet had thrown up on my livingroom:
(click for larger)
yeah no, not so much two hours.
anyway! while i am not QUITE done** putting everything back into some semblance of order, the point is that i have stumbled upon a lot of...things.
things from my past, like pictures and letters and stories and tokens, that (frankly) i would like to share.
and so i have decided that, um, i will!
because i figure we all have these sorts of memories (and memory triggers) -- funny things, sad things, plain things, special things, things that remind us of where we've been and how we've changed and how parts of us will always be the same -- so why not share 'em?
perhaps you'll consider doing the same.
*i almost said "REorganizing" but realized that would imply that my closets were, at least once, actually organized. and we all know perfectly well that the day i moved in i threw tons of crap into my closet and pretended it was "organized" because boxes -- the contents of which i'd be hard-pressed to identify -- were "stacked."
**i anticipate being "done" with the complete apartment overhaul by 2009. unless i move first.
and, seeing as january is almost over, i decided to actually START on the closet overhaul last weekend, thinking it would be a two-hour project.
two. hours.
HA! my closet laughed in the face of two hours.
i mean, every time i took a box of things out of my closet, another box would sprout in its place. "stuff" seemed to fiendishly multiply until it looked like my closet had thrown up on my livingroom:
(click for larger)
yeah no, not so much two hours.
anyway! while i am not QUITE done** putting everything back into some semblance of order, the point is that i have stumbled upon a lot of...things.
things from my past, like pictures and letters and stories and tokens, that (frankly) i would like to share.
and so i have decided that, um, i will!
because i figure we all have these sorts of memories (and memory triggers) -- funny things, sad things, plain things, special things, things that remind us of where we've been and how we've changed and how parts of us will always be the same -- so why not share 'em?
perhaps you'll consider doing the same.
*i almost said "REorganizing" but realized that would imply that my closets were, at least once, actually organized. and we all know perfectly well that the day i moved in i threw tons of crap into my closet and pretended it was "organized" because boxes -- the contents of which i'd be hard-pressed to identify -- were "stacked."
**i anticipate being "done" with the complete apartment overhaul by 2009. unless i move first.
I have kept a journal/diary on and off since I was 18. Sometimes I pick a volume at random and read a dozen entries or so. It's amazing how many memories that I didn't write down come flooding back along with the things I did write about.
ReplyDeleteTarjay has the BEST closet organizer thingies. I know because I paid money for them. Can I actually vouch for them, nope because they are still in the box in the floor of my sitting room.
ReplyDeleteSo, good luck with the closet reorganizing.
On my dresser, hiding in plain view, is a box cleverly disguised as an old, hardcover edition of War and Peace. Inside of this box I keep cards and letters that I have received from friends and family over the years--not every single one, but the special cards that really touched me. Every once in a while, if I'm feeling blue, I can reach into that box and pull out a reminder of how lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life.
ReplyDeletelove seeing where you live. your living room is cute (sans closet). can you post more pictures of your living space! So cute!
ReplyDeleteactually, a virutal tour would be nice...
ReplyDeletethe best part is that there are TWO coffee cups in the foreground. I think that indicates how long this took!
ReplyDeleteI started cleaning/organizing about 4 weeks ago and still have yet to finish.
ReplyDeletetwo words: Container. Store.
that place is awesome.
cleaning out the closets is horrible. i've had to move every couple of years lately, and i do the major decluttering, throwing everything away thing which helps. but man, the stuff just piles up again so quick. add in a crazy six year old boy, and it gets out of control. the only time my house is clean and decluttered is the five minutes after i move in to a new place. i still have a box of stuff out in the driveway from when i moved here five months ago. procrastination, thy name is jessi.
ReplyDeleteEven through all the stuff, I can see that you have a great looking apartment! I like your style K!
ReplyDeleteI know it sounds silly, but The Fly Lady (www.flylady.com) has changed my life. If you can get past the "purple puddles" and "home blessings" she'll work for the 20-something urban professional too. Seriously, check her out. I have never been this organized or calm in my life. I mean it!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds right up your alley...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.craigslist.org/sfc/wri/129866698.html
Were you looking for shared thoughts on closets or past memories? Did you ever bump into ex's while out with your husband--or i guess while out with boyfriends? Last week while out in Rowayton i bumped into a grade school friend who i dated (for a night or 2) in college. I was out with my wife and another friend. It was hard to figure out what to say--How much time should i spend with old friend when wife is there? Doubly hard b/c i slept with this girl while i was "on a break" with future wife. Great times...
ReplyDeleteI like to pretend that my bedroom is organized and not just a collection of boxes/drawers/shelves/cabinets full of randomly thrown together bits and pieces. We know the truth though, don't we?
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for at least trying to get control over your mess. I worry that I'll never do it and continue to fill my home with mountains of crap that I'll never use.
Where did you get that cute picture behind your couch? I love it!!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunatelu we all have a memory and the person who will figure out a drug which causes permanent amnesia will get all of my possesions and whatever else they ask,in return for the pills!Hey I love that arm chair with the leopard/tiger skin look.
ReplyDelete