"As noted at my own blog, my word for the year is 'clear.' One of the things to which this refers is clearing away clutter. One of the best ways I have found to do this is to give everything that comes into my house a HOME. And I can easily tell that I have too many things when there are not enough homes for them all! I gleaned the idea of items having homes from my younger sister who used to say to her toddlers, 'See that book on the floor there? Is that its home? No? Please put the book into its home.' Often, I am saying the same words to myself that she said to her little ones. In my mother's house, the Marks-A-Lot marker always went in the cupboard next to the sink. I don't know why, I just know that's where the Marks-A-Lot goes, still and forever, in my house many miles away. So, tell us your favorite homes for five things, the places that you can always and reliably find them. Tell us about them; show us pictures if you want!"Ah, this is one I can do. Naming where I can reliably find five items, I mean. Clearing away clutter is another matter, one I have not yet accomplished.
1. TOOLS
Once upon a time, back when I owned a house, I had a work bench in a corner of the basement. All my tools lived there. Now I'm an old lady —age 72 used to seem so old to me — living in an apartment, and people seem surprised that I have tools at all. Sure I do! I use a hammer occasionally, screwdrivers to tighten things, box cutter to open book packages from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. One day a close friend said, "The last thing I expected was to see you open a desk drawer and pull out wooden shims to steady a bookcase." Yep, my tools now reside in that second drawer down on the left side of my desk, shown in that messy photo above.
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| Deb @ An Unfinished Symphony posted this perfect cartoon. |
I've been keeping my cell phone in a perfect place — on a lanyard around my neck. I can't lose it, and I can't drop it. Those little boys who design our tech-toys think smooth and slippery is the cat's meow, unlike the phones of my youth that were designed for human hands. The new cell phone I got today, unfortunately, does not have any place for me to attach the cord. Does this mean I am destined to lose it? Maybe I can find a case for it that can swing at the end of my lanyard.3. SPARE ROLLS
4. STUDY MATERIALSI have always kept spare rolls of toilet paper in the cabinet under the sink, but my roommate found this cat to keep extra rolls in a cute way. The dowel rod for a tail holds four rolls, with a curled-over piece stuck in the top for effect. Guests have no trouble finding these rolls, if needed.
When I teach a class, I like to keep my materials together. I'll be teaching DISCIPLE: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study beginning in February (postponed from early January because I broke my shoulder). Click the title if you are interested in the blog I set up for us to use. Here you see the box of videos, my study manual (used two or three times already — in the 1990s), and the two versions of the Bible I plan to use — The Message and the NRSV. They are on a small side table near where I usually read and study.
Beside the DISCIPLE materials is a stiff little plastic tote filled with post-it notes, markers, pens in a stand up jar, removable tape, and my newest 16 GB flash drive. I can easily reach inside for what I need or take the whole thing with me. The little green bag is home for these study tools.BONUS: Although I moved them for this photo, I usually put library books on the V-shaped shelf under this tabletop. I don't always have it filled up, so I may include other books there that I'm currently reading.
