Laugh Out Junk

Before I could recover from that bewilderment, she had gone up the stairs and was standing beside me, "Here, pass here." She led the way. Apparently, you can pass through either side of the block of boxes in front of you, so she went ahead sideways to squeeze through, and I followed.

It was a small room so it was not a long squeezing until she got to a 'standing space' beside the bed on the other side of the block of boxes which is in the middle of the room, and I stopped where there was enough 'standing space' for me across box block.

I looked around, "Aunt B, what is this, what's that, what are those? What's in the boxes?"

"Oh, this is nothing, this one's a Christmas gift, these are magazines, in the boxes are clothes, magazines, books...oh, those are old telephone directories"

"Ok, first you have to get them out of your room, then you can have space on that side."

"Oh no, leave them there."

"If you don't want to throw them you can store them in the empty room next door."

"Oh, the maid goes into that room, I don't want them to browse through my things."

"Well are there things you're willing to get out the room?"

"Just draw me a plan to rearrange my room so there will be more space."

She took two small gift-wrapped boxes from a big box in the 'block' and, "Here, would you like one? Which one do you like?"

"Umm, this one, thank you, Aunt B."

Well that's one thing out of the room.

When reunion was over, seeing us out, she remembered to remind me, "draw me a plan for my room, ok?"

Stumped.

Letting go is the hardest thing. I made myself a kung-fu dummy with additional bendable arms for personal practice preferences, named him, and to the artist in me he is a masterpiece, but to the sane person in me, yes, he looks like junk, so I had to put him in storage.

Browsing through some sale i think, there was a tip on cleaning up a room and getting rid of junks. It went something like, "pick up something in your room and ask yourself, 'Will I die without this?' Go through the whole room." I didn't want to spend the money and buy something then, but the advise really helped me keep my room spacious enough for the daily workouts. I think you can do Capoeira in my room, but no flying around.

Also, every time I move, or on general clean-ups, I find it really handy to have three garbage bags or boxes named Keep, Sell, and Throw. Won't be fair if I had a favorite, but you know who makes me money. Others call Sell "Junk", so it depends on you, you can have four categories but I'd advise keep it to a minimum.

Keep only what's important.

(Hey, nearing the season, you can call Sell "Donate")

Nice, easy to clean space.

It's a dusty world out there. Be sure you're well equipped, have these handy:

1. Dust mask - whatever you have, but if it's really dusty, better safe than sorry. Wear a bandanna, a shirt, your ninja mask, or your girlfriend's padded bra over your nose. Though the last time I tried that, I never really got anything done, since she caught me...or I made sure she caught me... ok, I just thought that one up and I'm still planning to make it happen.

2. Damp clothe - "Dust, you cannot escape me!" If you clean once a year, like I do, (just kidding), you really need to wipe stuff with a serious damp cloth, and!

3. Bucket of water - If you clean once a year, like I do, (again, just kidding), and you hate going back and forth to the area you're cleaning and the service sink where you're washing the wipe, keep a bucket of water handy.

4. Dry cloth - Be sure to wipe everything dry after. You don't want your antique wooden furniture turned expensive firewood.

5. Garbage bag - Basketball time.

6. Vacuum / broom & dust pan - Cha cha or tango?

7. Party's over! See all of them safely home.

My mom, as she is related to my aunt, also likes 'antiques', so it runs in the family.

Fortunately for my mom, my dad had a storage shack built for her 'antiques'. Unfortunately for my dad, a shack is not big enough as a two-car garage. But, the point is, mom knew how to properly categorize things together. Well, there are no name stickers, but when we need something, and it seems like she has everything, she easily locates it and proudly gives to us. "Mom, do you have an extra umbrella? Mom, I need an alarm clock. Mom, do you have a gift wrapper? It's an emergency. Mom, do you have ribbons? Mom, do you have waste papers? It's for a project." She hands it to you, mint condition. Well, maybe a little dust...

Now that you're cleaning up, taking things and dusting, and moving things around, put things back in category. Easy to clean up, easy to find stuff, helps you decide what doesn't belong and what to throw away.

Even I think it's too bothersome. Why can't things be as simple like kids throwing their toys into their toy boxes at clean-up time? Light bulb!

The point is, sort.

Just make sure you throw out.

Huh?