While my daughter was home on Christmas break, she called me out for what she referred to as “My Clutter Shuffling”. She is at that age, in her mid twenties, where she feels the need to point out what I am obviously, to her, doing wrong. This is a different approach than when she was a teenager and her observations were not only harsh, but sometimes mean. Now she feels that she has been out in the world and has learned so many things, that she can’t help but share her wisdom and new found knowledge with me.
I breathe deeply, and accept her guidance that adding baking soda to my facial cleanser for exfoliation is a terrible idea, dairy is killing me, and that I have in no way an understanding of the true causes of global warming. Okay, I think to myself, at least listen. If you want her to accept some of your ideas, you should give hers at least a chance to be heard, to breathe in your space.
She first mentions that I think I am being ecological, and repurposing items, but what I am truly doing is just shuffling my clutter. She points to the jars and the spent votive candle holders that I meticulously clean out and save for an undetermined use for the future. She accepts the compost bin on the kitchen counter, but notes that some paper could just go into the recycling bin and maybe not have five or six paper bags around the house just for paper to be later burned in the fire pit.
She is probably right. The clothes that I am getting rid of could go straight to the thrift store , instead of being photographed, stacked in a bin, awaiting response from family and friends as to who wants to nab that power suit from the 90’s with the padded shoulders. Nobody wants my power suit from the 90’s, not even the thrift store.
When I try to defend some of my actions, say the outdated picture frame in the garage that could be made into a serving tray, or dusty jar of marbles that could at some point be used as vase fillers, she ups the charges to borderline hoarding.
Okay, maybe she is right. New Year, New habits. This week I have thrown out a rusty watering can shaped like a turtle, burnt potholders, votive holders, old curlers and more. If it really, really can not be of immediate use to myself or be donated to the thrift store , it goes in the trash.
I am not saying it will be easy. Didn’t I see something on Etsy about repurposing old muffin tins ?
The View from my Back Porch 