Betty Rutland
You remember saying many times, "When I get time I will clean out the closets. I have so much to throw away."
Or, "I have to clean the basement; it has been years since I threw anything out from there."
Or, "Someday I am going to sit down and get all my pictures out of the shoeboxes and put them in books, label and throw some away."
Or, "My desk drawers haven't been done in years."
Well, unsolicited, your day has arrived.
I am retired, so my life sheltering in place seems somewhat like my normal routine. But suddenly I found myself in my closet without a day plan written in my book — really with no place to go and hours to get there. This walk-in closet has shelves with doors on them stuffed full of keepsakes, my four adult children's baby books, high school graduation programs, notes, awards and very special cards. I now sat there like a person with all the time in the world.
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Betty Rutland lives in Albany.
How great was it for my mind, getting something done I had thought about for 10 years. What a great dance it was with all those great memories passing through my hands, flashing back. How much I had forgotten about that stuff put away years ago.
Then there came a problem: I couldn't seem to make the choice right then and there, what to get rid of in all those keepsakes. I started to laugh as I took big envelopes and wrote these special notes to my four children: I told them I was unable today to make the decision to throw these keepsakes away, and I thanked them for how, later, they could do it for me when they would be cleaning out all my treasures for good.
I put the date and a note about the pandemic on the envelopes to say this was the day I finally had time to do the deed.
My husband passed away a while ago. All of a sudden, cleaning out his basement workshop has jumped right into my face. Yes, today is the someday I said I will get to do that. What a perfect time to find my way and clean it up for a great inspection. I will break it down to maybe a couple of hours at a time; I will be able to space my weekly trash loads that way.
I don't know how much sheltering time I will have, but the next closet left has the old crib from my adult children and all the many sets of old luggage that have passed through my life so far. When this is over and we are on with our normal lives again, my head will feel happy I really got to do those things I wanted to do someday. Today is my someday.
It is so good for your mental health. Make this time your someday.
Betty Rutland