Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Etc. time - Stuff

You may hear more grumblings from me in the next month or so. You see – the kitchen renovations are just about to begin. This coming Monday is The Day I Go Kitchenless – also know as The Day I Start Begging Friends to Invite Me To Dinner.
But in order to prepare for TDIGK, I’ve had to *shudder* clean the kitchen. It’s been during this time I’ve realized I need professional help. You see – I am a pack rat – a clutter collector of the highest order. Ron kept much of this disorder of mine in check – he’d get on my case to throw a lot of Stuff out. As well as helping keep me on the straight and narrow as far as clutter collecting, he probably 75% of the housework. I’ve managed to keep up not too bad on the housework – mainly by Stuffing Stuff in closets and cupboards.
Hell hit my house when I had to face what I’ve done the past year and a half. And I'm in almost full-out panic mode!
So far it’s taken over eight garbage bags to empty the kitchen – as well as 4 boxes full of Stuff. And I still have a ways to go!
I managed to empty the cupboards and a friend of Lisa’s came to take them away. I put a lot of the Stuff from the cupboards on the kitchen table and chairs. The boys came and took the kitchen table and chairs the next morning – early the next morning. The three of us just put all the Stuff someplace else. So as of right now I have the stove, fridge, one counter and the sink. Oh and the dishwasher which is full of clean dishes – but no cupboards to put them it. Now it seems I’ve lost the Stuff. And some of it is rather important Stuff. For example – it took me 20 minutes to locate my purse this morning. I seem to have lost my thyroid medicine. There was a movie I was going to return to Rogers for credit for a coworker (long story) but I still had to return the money to coworker even though the movie has gone missing – the one I was going to return.
And I still have Stuff in the corner cabinet – lots of Stuff to empty and figure out what to do with the corner cabinet as I have no plans for it in the new kitchen.
I look around the house these days and almost freak. The kitchen is in shambles – and worse is to come. The living room is in shambles – many of the boxes from the kitchen are in there as well as the Stuff I had on the previous book cases and television stand that I haven’t put back up because I still have 3 more shelving units to put together which won’t fit in the living room because I didn’t measure.
The two back bedrooms are a mess because I just Stuff Stuff in them but now I’m going to have to clean them up because the appliances will be in one bedroom until the kitchen is done and the boxes of dishes and food I’m keeping but can’t use for a month will be in the other one. The bedroom I’m sleeping in is a mess because I have Stuff in there too that should go in the living room that doesn’t have all the shelves in it because I didn’t think to measure. One of the bedrooms has the boxed shelves in it that are supposed to go in the living room that aren’t there because I didn’t measure and I need the space for the appliances because I will have no kitchen for a month or more.
My basement is a mess because I moved the old bookcases downstairs and have them half filled with spill over books but only one because I still have to move the other one to where I want it to go but I have boxes of books in the way and too many end tables. The old television unit is also down there, but not where it will go because I have too much furniture because like Stuff, I don't get rid of it and the television stand will have to be moved by the boys because it's large and heavy but there is no point in moving it until I move the other Stuff I have.
*deep breath*
And – I don’t want to go home these days because of Stuff.
I have been taking pics though and once I have the kitchen done and the bookcase/shelving unit done – I will post before – during – and after. At the moment though I’m too embarrassed to post my pics of Stuff

6 comments:

Jenster said...

I totally don't envy you right now. I went through all this almost two years ago when we moved from Arkansas to Pennsylvania. We've been in this house less than 2 years and already it's full of crap despite my firm resolution to never let that happen again.

I will, however, be very envious when you get the renovations all finished!!

Hope you get to eat during the next month! :o)

nath said...

Poor you Kristie! The trick is to breath! Take deep breaths... I seriously don't envy you, but think of the new kitchen you'll be having :D and so how many days do you think the renovation is going to take?

Jace said...

Stuff ... this I can certainly commiserate with you! I live in a 3-bedroom apartment, and have to CONSTANTLY keep myself strictly in check regarding Stuff.

The trick is to slowly but surely bag and discard the surplus. *wink*

CindyS said...

I can sense your panic from this post!

First, I want you to come out here for dinner a few times! I know, not exactly close to home but if you can slot us in we would love to have you up.

Second - if you want, Bob and I could come up and look at the shelving situation. I think you may have to bite the bullet and have IKEA pick up the ones that don't fit. (Is there an IKEA out by you?) Either that or a wall is coming down ;)

Finally, like Nath said, just sit and breath. The holidays have been a bit wacky for me (Christmas Eve at 3am I was sure I was going to throw up - took me half an hour of breathing and self talk to finally calm down) weird brain things (almost a feeling of being too drunk), getting overly hot and then panicky etc. You know my drill ;)

Thing is, we all have stuff and right now my stuff is so far everywhere that I'm just holding it together. I think Bob has been getting a few shots from me lately. I should take pics and post so you can see what I mean. Not only that but Christmas is all over my house still - tree, decorations, new gifts with no new homes.

Blergh.

So, I know you enjoy a nice cold one. Sounds like it's time to raise a glass ;)

CindyS

KT Grant said...

Eh have a few beers and watch some Richard.

Chantal said...

Oh, renovations suck. We did our basement a few years ago and it was hell. I can't imagine doing my kitchen...a room I pretty much live in.

I hope the time goes by fast for ya.