January of 2009 marked the beginning of the ensuing chaos. We marched toward our first high school graduation. During the same time, my writing career began to go places. So between kids and work, my house started down the slippery slope of neglect. It kept rolling that direction for four and a half long years. On May 1, I turned in the first draft of what willl be my 4th published novel. With our final high school graduation looming at the end of that month, I realized I couldn’t “make do” in my house any longer without falling apart.
Yes, I’d learned to keep up the major parts of the bathrooms and the kitchen so we weren’t living in filth, but the dusting and the floors remained iffy. Some deep cleaning needed to be done. But beyond that was the real issue–my closets. My cabinets. When clutter lurks behind those doors, I can’t think. And clutter had been accumulating, multiplying for far too long.
With all but a couple of small trouble spots cleaned and organized, I can think again. I’m ready to work again. Hopefully I’ve learned my lesson and won’t let things descent to quite such a chaotic place over the next four and a half years!
🙂 I’m very similar. Clutter brings me down! Sadly, I’m in a season right now when I’m having to let the closets and other clutter go. But there’s hope…three weeks down the road my next book will be turned in and I’m hoping to do some spring (okay, summer) cleaning. 🙂
Yes, writing has wreaked havoc on my closets and cabinets! Four and a half years was way out of my comfort zone to declutter. I’m hoping I know more now how I work best and intend to make time to do a little here and a little there over then next few years. Yay on turning in your next book! I just got final galleys on my Sept. release and am looking for my editorial letter on my 2014 release to arrive in my inbox any day now. Then I’ll be head down working again!
I can live with a little dust, but clutter drives me nuts, really gets on my nerves. My son is even more of a declutter person, he says take a picture and get rid of it.. for motivation I watch an episode of Hoarders and then go purge purge purge! Moving into a smaller home helped, although probably another big push is in order. Right now the garage is…NOT good.
I hear you on the garage! It drives me nuts, but not quite as nuts as the closets and cabinets. Still, it’s on the list as a family summer project! 🙂