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Post by BetsyMarie on Dec 19, 2009 21:41:59 GMT -5
I was just looking around for the next area that I should give attention to, and my eyes fell on the informal dining table I used to eat at. My eyes just never focus on it I guess -its mess is a constant. Then it occured to me that I havent eaten at a real table in this house for far too long. I dont even remember. I've eaten either standing up in the kitchen, or sitting at the computer, or sitting watching tv with a plate in my lap, or just walking about. I look at my table and while there is still a table cloth on it, so is a bunch of who knows what on top of that. It's round and not that large (4 feet across?) I think that might be tomorrows task. What a nice holiday gift for myself - a place to sit and eat. Other than eating out or at a friends house, when was the last time you ate at a real table in your own home? Or am I the only one who really cant even remember when it was?  |
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Post by eagle on Dec 19, 2009 22:46:52 GMT -5
Betsymarie, this is a wonderful gift to yourself.
When I joined Squalor Survivors in 2004, I had two dining room tables, both of which were piled high with stuff. We also ate in the living room or out, more out than in.
Maintaining a clean, attractive, meal-ready table took real self-discipline. I had to train myself to use it only for meals and nothing else. I am not a multiple-purpose kind of gal. Some use their dining table for kids doing school-work, for paying bills, and whatnot, in addition to meals. I use mine for meals and nothing else. And that is because otherwise, it accumulates clutter and messes and is never meal-ready.
Now it is easy. The table is always meal-ready. The only other thing it is used for is when Hubby reads the morning newspaper. But it is always set for dinner, and we do eat at the table. That is, we do when I am at home and cooking. I have been on a road trip since the end of September. I don't know for sure what the table looks like right this minute. I think I'll ask Hubby if the table is clear when we speak tomorrow.
That is the other factor: Do you have another person in the house? Maintaining cleared hotspots often means a re-education of everyone in the household, sometimes complicating our plans to improve the home environment.
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Post by yearning4order on Dec 20, 2009 2:10:29 GMT -5
Betsy, when I first started here it was touch and go if we would eat at the table, much as it was touch and go if we would use paper plates, real plates, or eat fast food because I didn't want to deal with the dishes.
Early on, eating at the table meant eating surrounded by the stuff on the table. Then I think a portion of the table got cleared. Most recently the table has been clear most of the time, or with only a very small section with some light clutter, mail, daughter's papers, etc.
People here use the term "defend" to refer to maintenance, which really helped me greatly. Maintenance sounds awful, but defending sounds very exciting! Some days I found the defending of the table even if the rest of the place wasn't great was helpful.
We don't yet have the rec room ready for the "craft table" (a separate table I bought for sewing & crafts), so the table gets used for meals, homework, games, crafts. I do my best to defend after these activities. Even taking the dishes to the kitchen has taken some effort some days!
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Post by canna on Dec 20, 2009 9:19:30 GMT -5
When I joined this great SOS group, the first thing I focused on was my dining room table. What a big mess it was. Thought I could never ever deal with it. Just a huge catch-all for stuff. Ick. Newspapers and lots of stacks magazines, (oh, yes, might want to read those soon) mail, purses, clothes, many many books (these are the ones I'm going to read next..), receipts of all kinds, jackets draped on chairs, boxes (of ...important stuff to look at when I have a chance). Oh boy. I just ate meals sitting on the living room couch using the coffee table, which was a mess in itself too. The first "elephant" to tackle was that dining room table.With all the suggestions given here and f i n a l l y tackling and getting stuff off of the table, it is sooo much better now:
The only things on the table are some of my nice violet plants, a picture of my daughter, place mats for 4 salt/pepper, and napkin holder, and some candles in nice holders. That is all that is allowed on there now. No papers of any kind!!!
It's become a habit to maintain it that way. It's always dinner ready, and nice to have it like that when friends visit. And I have candlelight breakfast, lunch and dinner every day!
If I was able to do this, anyone can. What a difference.
Well, my cat Mesquite likes to jump up on the table and keep me company when I eat there. But, that's ok..
And after that, well...I looked at the kitchen sink/counter/stove. That big messss was next..
I am soooo happy to have found this group, what a difference it has made in the way things are now.
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