Well, It's a Start
I started my "Clean Up My Messy Home" challenge today. Frankly, it doesn't look a heck of a lot different, yet. I did pretty good, though, considering that I'm also scheduling rehearsals for my next short-play festival, had to do some follow-up work on a color consultation I did the other day, worked on lines for the next play that I'm in, and I worked out most of a costume plot and did some costume research for the same show.
Oh, let me back up on that point for a little bit. We had been wondering whether our usual costumer, Dawn, would be able to work on this show. She had not returned my calls about gathering up costumes for "Morning's at Seven," so I got them together and costumed our new actor myself. My illustrious stage manager, bixxy , later got an e-mail from her saying there was an illness in the family and she was just too pressed for time between that and her kids. Understandable.
So when the conversation in our latest show turned to costuming, I said we should ask Dawn, but be prepared for her to say no. When her response to us seemed to avoid saying she would do costumes, I decided I would volunteer. I worked on the costume plot and did some research, started getting ideas, and started getting excited about the prospect of trying my hand at this! I e-mailed Dawn to ask if I'd be able to use her sewing machine, and possibly ask her for help or advice, should I need it. She wrote back, showing me a pattern for the dress she said she could make (another actress and I need matching dresses). I then sent her a picture of a pattern I had found and commented that it was a lot like hers!
Well, when I showed up for rehearsal tonight, there she was! Getting a script from the director, taking everyone's measurements, and starting to work out some of the complications of who needs to wear the same thing as whom (there are several of these). So. Apparently, the way to get her to costume a show is to volunteer to do it yourself? Oh, and some of the specific things I had said I would do, I'm still on the hook for - I just won't get any credit now.
Aaaanyway. Back to my cleaning update. I started out doing some "prep" that I can't really consider part of my cleanup. Took out some trash, put some dishes in the dishwasher, worked a little more on a stain my cat had left on the carpet. My main accomplishment was getting some unused things out of here. I had an old suitcase I no longer use, a stack of clothes that I had already stacked as things to get rid of, an extra printer, and an old VCR. Oh, and a salad spinner. I took all of these things right out to the car, and drove them to Goodwill. Had mixed feelings on getting rid of the salad spinner, and almost kept it. But I've had it a couple years and only used it once or twice. So off it went. When I got back, I took the VCR that I actually use sometimes, and promoted it from its spot on the floor to its new spot on the TV shelf. Oh, and I donated some glass salt & pepper shakers to the theatre. Even if they don't need them for salt and pepper, they could be re-purposed for small vases or something else in a show.
I also made an attempt to find a storage bin or bag for my gift-wrapping supplies. I had had everything in a large Christmas gift bag, which hung over a hanger in my front closet. This past Christmas the bag decided it had it and ripped apart. And then the cat peed on what was left of it. The bows and papers and whatnot that survived have been leaning against a shelf in my main living area ever since. I did not find anything to put them in, but I will keep looking. While I was shoppping, I got some new cabinet knobs to put on my dresser drawers, some of which currently come right out if you tug on them. (Hey, I got the dresser for free.) I also got some 9-Volt batteries, so I can put my fire alarm back up. Oh, the fire alarm. That might be worth its own entry.
I find that I'm noticing things more. I'm appraising more things as I look at them, thinking about what I can donate, what someone else might want, etc. I've got a lot more to go, but I feel good that I've started. It still does not seem manageable, but it's beginning to seem possible.