photos – De-clutter Me!

Nan emailed from Massachusetts. Would I be available to help her mother with organizing photos? Of course! Ruth faced some unexpected winter health challenges so, by the time we met for the first time, it was early May. I walked through the wide-open front door into their colorful and spirited home. Husband Bill welcomed me, saying that she was out and soon to return. In the meantime, would I advise about bedroom furniture placement? How to arrange bed, workspace and upholstered chair for reading? Here are some ideas. Okay!

Ruth arrived, and we ventured upstairs. First, we spread frames out on the floor so, as we went through piles of photos, we could match some with frames that would present them nicely. We separated others into new categories – burn onto CDs, give to others, and toss. Our time used up, Ruth smiled, and said that she felt well on the way to working through more of the piles.

A framed Christmas present!

I saw Sandy and Roger at a concert, and told them about De-clutter Me! She asked me to come and help at their house. What would we do? She mentioned the Paper Room. “Oh no,” I thought, visualizing a room with tall piles of paper everywhere. Arriving at their rural home on a rainy morning, we toured the house, with both of them pointing out areas needing help. Roger said that many horizontal surfaces were covered with stuff; relatively easily fixed.

BEFORE

Where to start? In the Paper Room, of course. It wasn’t nearly as bad as my mind’s eye had “seen.” Its closet needed de-cluttering. Sandy and I pulled lots of yearbooks (she’s a retired teacher), bags of photos she’d likely never sort. Clothes and other items were set aside for the town’s weekly budget closet sale. Roger opened the room’s window, so that all could be easily loaded from its sill into their cars. Well, mostly. A load of ~50 small Legos pieces was in a strong plastic bag, which broke, falling between pieces of wet gravel. Though he said he would clean them up, I helped. Avoiding slimy “bird doo” was an extra added “benefit.” We got it done, and shared some laughs.