Bonnie Bing: Thanks to stay-at-home order, I finally have a clean home office
You know when your spouse says, “Wow, there’s a floor in there?” It was past time to clean your office.
In my defense (weak as it is) my office at home, which is the only office I have, is only 8 ½ feet by 7 feet. It has one wall of built in shelves and one wall of drawers and a cabinet. I’ve added a table for my printer, a small desk a floor lamp and a file cabinet. And of course, my way-too-big-for-the-room comfortable desk chair.
I’m not proud to say every nook, cranny, shelf and drawer was stuffed. But, if there is ever a contest to see who can get as much stuff as humanly possible into a small space, I would win hands down.
It took four days to clean it all out. I started at one corner and worked my way around the room. There in the deep recesses of the cupboard was everything from a small portable sewing machine to date books, including one from 1978. I always thought I would someday have to look up something that happened on a certain day in one of those years. Nope, not once have I referred to any of them.
Old business cards were fun to go through. Some businesses no longer existed and, sadly, some of the people who gave me their cards are no longer with us. But for most I had no idea why I had them or why I had kept them. One from a hypnotist and another from tattoo artist were two of the most puzzling.
Four big trash bags (the size you use for leaves) filled after four long days in my cubicle with walls and I was finished. Even though we are staying at home these days for an unfortunate reason, we might as well make good use of the time. Even if that means we have to sweep more floor because now it’s visible.
When I’m not decluttering our house I’m on Facetime with our granddaughters or at a Zoom meeting.
The Zoom meeting is not a favorite. My new laptop makes it easier, but I seem to make it as difficult as possible. First I worry I’m going to forget the meeting because all the days are running together. Secondly I am terrible at technology. And thirdly, I look like my Great Aunt Sadie on Zoom or any other screen.
When I had a Zoom meeting scheduled on Tuesday, I was determined to get ready early so I wasn’t having a panic attack trying to get logged into the meeting. Unfortunately I lost track of time planting flowers until it was almost time for a 3’oclock meeting.
I combed my hair, slapped on lipstick and set up my computer in the dining room. I even changed my shirt. The battery was low so I had to quickly get the battery plugged in, but of course the cord wouldn’t reach the outlet, so I ran and got an extension cord.
Just before the meeting was supposed to start I took a drink of iced tea and the sweating glass dripped on my shirt and left a giant wet spot. I raised the computer a little higher. Then forgot to take it off mute when I was saying hello. When they said they couldn’t hear me, I started waving like an idiot.
By now we’re all ready to see people in person sitting around a table instead of on a screen. We want to see smiles that aren’t covered up with a mask, and won’t it be fun to hug our friends and family again?
The first thing we should do is take turns showing off our clean offices, our organized drawers and tidy closets. And of course our clean, uncluttered floors.
In the meantime, hang in there. And as things start opening up, let’s take it slowly. We’ve got this.