DECLUTTER

I stood in the doorway of the laundry room, staring at the five different piles I’d made when my husband Steven walked by.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m decluttering.”

Steven pointed to one of the piles. “What’s the difference between the piles?”

I pointed to the pile closest to me. “Those are things to move to another room.” I pointed to the next pile. “Things to donate to charity.” I pointed to another pile. “Things to toss out.” I pointed to the next pile. “Things to give to a specific person and finally…” I pointed to the last pile. “Things I need to think over.”

Steven slowly nodded his head. “Why is the move to another room pile the biggest?”

I put my hands on my hips, tipping my head to the side. “Why?” I have to admit I was a little annoyed with that question. “This room is already the laundry room, my office, the sewing room, craft room, and wrapping station! It can’t be the dumping ground for everything!”

Steven looked surprised. “Hey, I was just asking a question.” He held his hands up as if he were surrendering.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have raised my voice.” I took a deep breath and took my hands off my hips. “It’s just that I’ve been working in here for the past two hours and I’m running out of momentum.”

“I get it.” Steven came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “But exactly where are you planning to put the vacuum cleaner now?” He pointed back to the ‘move to another room’ pile.

“I thought we could put it in the guest bedroom closet.”

He looked over at the laundry basket filled with board games. “Where are they going?”

“We already have a cabinet that has board games in it. I was going to see if they fit in there.”

Steven nodded as he scanned the other piles. “So where’s the bag of books going?”

It was the only thing in that pile. “That’s the thing to give to a specific person.” I looked over at Steven. “Rosanne and I exchange books a few times a year. I was planning on calling her soon.”

Steven was still nodding his head. “What’s the clothes pile?”

“That’s things to donate to a charity.”

“Wait a minute!” He picked up a sweatshirt. “This still has the tags on it!”

I took it from him and tossed it back on the pile. “It’s been in here since we moved here six years ago. Don’t you think someone else could use it?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “I guess.”

He was scanning all the other piles. “Wait. What pile is the yarn in?”

“That’s the think-it-over pile.”

“Why?”

“Because I used to knit all the time but I haven’t in years.” I picked up one of the aqua colored skeins. “I just have to decide if I’m ever going to knit again.” I tossed it back on the pile.

Steven looked around the room again. “Seems like a lot of work.”

“It is.” I sighed.

He came over and gave me a hug. “What if I cooked dinner tonight?”

I couldn’t hold back my smile as I stepped back and clasped my hands together. “Really? I was just about to call it quits but that would give me the momentum to finish this project today!”

He smiled as he left the laundry room. “You’re welcome.” He called over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen.