Writing Room Cleanup
Remember how I was going to start the new year with a clean writing/sewing room? I contemplated lying to you and saying that I did it on time but just didn't want to dwarf you with my amazing achievements...but my tongue tripped and let's just say that February is a beautiful month to clean a room. Today the sun shone on McMinnville with actual warmth and the air filled with the smell of swelling fruit tree buds. It was a perfect day to clean up the garden in preparation of spring.Instead I opened windows and I got to work on my awful mess. My oppressive collection of crap inching closer to my neck every day. I often get overwhelmed with this kind of clean up and spend all my time wondering where to start and then it's midnight and I'm drooling all over my crap and have bloodshot eyes.
Look at that! Aren't you impressed with my mess? Yeah, me too. I'm so excited right now I can barely stand to get to the next picture...4 hours later, with the sun still shining and making noise like sweet spring opening it's sleepy jaws. Oh man, dulcet dulcet day of everything fine and happy (see how much happy I'm spreading?) and 
If you were here I would not be able to stop drawing your attention to the little details like that light streaming in the window, the fact that the floor is actually vacuumed, the thread on the wall, and and and OH MY GOD! I wonder if Bukowski always had a neat and tidy writing room? Or did he spit words on dirty cocktail napkins all night?
Ahhhh. It is so fine in here. It is ready for anything. I could sew something if I wanted to, or do some collage, or make doodles on my forehead. Obviously I can write in here as well. I have been using my project table to write on but I have finally gotten my little mid-century roll top desk in a little nook. I did take pictures but I didn't want to freak you out with too much visual stimuli all at one whack.
This is a typical finding in my spaces. Little piles of beans that I watched grow. Beans that I will plant this year. They are all over the place. So pretty. These scarlet runner beans are so gorgeous I have been known to stare at them until people are uncomfortable. I love to hold them too because they are smooth. These were sitting on my desk. Not a new desk, a desk I've had for two years but never really used. Here I am. With my beans, my light streaming in, my shoes and socks off, and the feeling that this is what families do on week-ends. They clean their houses, they dust, they put things away. They tend to the nest.
I can't even listen to music now because I'm listening to the sound of light.
I hope that everyone else has been having just as wonderful an afternoon!
I hope that everyone else has been having just as wonderful an afternoon!
Comments (14)
Beautiful--I also love the feel of a just cleaned and organized space--the possibilities are boundless.
Posted by Pasha Grant | February 7, 2009 8:37 PM
Posted on February 7, 2009 20:37
It only took four houra? It takes me days, I get way laid by finding something that I had missed months ago, and the time goes by while I start another project.
Posted by Patrice Sieler | February 8, 2009 5:50 AM
Posted on February 8, 2009 05:50
I spent Saturday straightening up bookshelves...a bigger task than one might imagine because our house is practically built with books. My DH and I have different approaches. He buys books like magazines (but then can't get rid of them because they're books, after all). I buy books only after I've read them a half a dozen times from the library and they are old friends. Needless to say...we can't get rid of our old friends. Our books are us.
As a result, my "after" photo would look closer to your "before" photo. I daren't show anyone the "before".
Posted by mss @ Words Into Bytes | February 8, 2009 7:35 AM
Posted on February 8, 2009 07:35
Wow!
I am loving that window down to the floor. The shelves/cubby thing has me drooling as well. Isn't it liberating to make progress? I am all about progress these days. Well done, I say! I planted scarlet runner beans over the chicken run area last year from seeds of the previous years plants. It was really nice and helped keep it cooler. I love the seeds they are so pretty.
Posted by Tonia | February 8, 2009 8:29 AM
Posted on February 8, 2009 08:29
Oh you inspire me! I so want to do the same. I want to tackle my sewing room closet. It's been shoved full of stuff from when we moved in over a year and a half ago. It's so bad, I have the doors blocks to keep them closed so stuff doesn't pop out like a cheezy 70's tv sitcom.
I LOVE "listening to the sound of light"! I may have to post-it that on to my closest doors for some extra cleaning mojo. You have totally inspired me to get off my butt and get organized! I want to hear the light too! xoxo-m
Posted by happy zombie | February 8, 2009 9:46 AM
Posted on February 8, 2009 09:46
I'm impressed!
Posted by pam | February 8, 2009 11:09 AM
Posted on February 8, 2009 11:09
lET the light shine in *she sings in a high opera voice* trallllllllaaaallllllla! looks fabulous, congrats!
Posted by Riana | February 8, 2009 11:34 AM
Posted on February 8, 2009 11:34
There's just something so nice about a clean sewing/ writing room! Too bad I can't seem to keep mine clean even though I love it when it is.
Your room looks wonderful!
Posted by Oilclothjunkie | February 9, 2009 6:24 AM
Posted on February 9, 2009 06:24
Angelina,
I am so impressed. I wish I could accomplish that much in four hours. I couldn't even find one corner in that time! I love when it is clean except them I don't want to go in there and mess it up. So I guess I have to learn to live with mess and at least get soemthing accomplished.
Robin
Posted by robin | February 9, 2009 10:58 AM
Posted on February 9, 2009 10:58
Great job, Angelina! I have the same Expedit bookcase but mine is not nearly so organized at the moment. I'm trying to find some new pieces in my sewing/crafting space to give me more storage so I won't keep doing the piles thing.
Posted by Mary | February 10, 2009 5:07 AM
Posted on February 10, 2009 05:07
Hey Angelina!
You ok? Haven't heard from you in days, which is unusual. I'm hoping that you've been carried off by the light and bright and are just too busy and happy to write right now.
Your room came out wonderfully. Congratulations on the major clean up job!
Posted by Jocelyn | February 11, 2009 6:10 AM
Posted on February 11, 2009 06:10
Great job! I am hopelessly jealous of the cubby shelving system...
Posted by Lynn (Walking With Scissors) | February 11, 2009 9:33 AM
Posted on February 11, 2009 09:33
I'm impressed. May I ask you a question?
How are your other rooms in your house?
I've been hankering to spend in a cleaned and organized space. But all rooms tend to jumble. I live in an apartment(59m2) in Japan.Many Japanese envy tidey European rooms especially your kitchen.
Posted by Noriko | February 12, 2009 6:47 PM
Posted on February 12, 2009 18:47
Lynn- Ikea! I love these shelves too. They are really inexpensive but you can't just move this one from room to room- it is so big it has to be taken down and then reassembled.
Noriko- you would not envy most rooms in my house! I am fortunate enough to have plenty of space but I am not a very tidy person. Getting my writing room into an organized tidy state was a true triumph. I would like to get the rest of my house looking just as good, but I just have to take one step at a time. Small spaces are challenging- I've lived in many small apartments- but there are lots of tricks out there to help tame small spaces. Keep your eyes open for them.
Posted by Angelina | February 12, 2009 9:01 PM
Posted on February 12, 2009 21:01