Putting Things in Their Places

After all the church year fun with St. George’ Day last week, I thought I’d write a bit about the homemaking side of things.

We’ve been in our new place for almost a year, and I think I can finally say that we’re really moved in. Everything’s unpacked that’s going to be unpacked, and though there are a few pictures yet to be hung, I feel okay saying that we’ve settled in.

Now comes what feels like the fun part: settling the things that have settled. When we moved, things all found a place, but not everything found its proper place. There are corners that attract clutter and corners that attract books; there are surfaces that attract papers and surfaces that attract craft projects. (And every place attracts toys.) So now I am working on clearing out the corners and clearing off the surfaces and beginning to make places for all the things that have settled where they shouldn’t.

It’s a lovely job, because I feel like I can take it a bit at a time. There aren’t any huge projects lying about anymore, things that must-be-done-now-or-we-won’t-have-a-surface-to-eat-dinner-on. No, these are the little things that slowly make the house feel more peaceful. The top of the piano now only has plants and candles and pictures (and a small pink matruska), rather than plants and candles and pictures and papers and hair things. The sewing desk now has the sewing machine, a few other necessary objects, and a large, clear surface on which to work. The space behind the coffee table where Things Accumulated now mostly is just home to the basket of library books and a big canvas bag of folded fabric. The bar between the kitchen and the dining room looks pretty now, because the plants on it are no longer hiding behind piles of mail and scads of errant notepads.

There’s more to do – lots – but it’s all satisfying little pieces. Now I can take a breath and think and say, “where should this go? Should it even be here? How can this space be best used?” It’s work, but it’s peaceful work, and I’m glad that we’ve gotten to this point.

I was glad for the move, too, and I’m sure the big, urgent projects will come again. But while I’m in this season, I want to notice and enjoy it.

And I'm finding that, after I really think through a certain space, and arrange in in the things that ought to be there, and take out the things that shouldn't, that it's easier to keep it clean than it used to be. I don't know if I can eventually get the whole condo that way, but I've never had a place that was all ours before - that we weren't renting and/or sharing - so maybe it's different when you have complete say over the space? I'm wondering if that will make it easier to make order and keep order. It seems to be, so far. But even if not, I'm happy with improvement; I don't need perfection.

Upon reflection, this is what my spring cleaning looks like this year. It's not deep-cleaning, it's deep organization. How about you? Have you done either spring cleaning or spring organization? And if you've ever moved from a rented home to an owned home, have you found it easier to organize after the move? I'm curious if my experience corresponds with others.

Though, the truth is, no home here is our home; we are always on pilgrimage. And we're called to be good stewards of whatever is entrusted to our care - rented or owned. So perhaps it shouldn't make so much difference after all.

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell