The Common Excuse For Avoiding Household Maintenance, Invalidated

January 8, 2014

“I can’t put it away; I’m going to use it again tomorrow.” 

The fact that you’re going to use/wear/eat/play with/work on something tomorrow should have no bearing on whether or not you put it away today.

You’re going to get dirty again tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shower today.

You’re probably going to use your car again tomorrow, but you wouldn’t leave the motor running all night long.

You’re most certainly going to open the fridge tomorrow, but you wouldn’t leave the door open until then.

Your dog will need to be walked again tomorrow, but you wouldn’t leave him outside overnight.

You’ll use that set of silverware when you eat again tomorrow, but you don’t leave forks and spoons out on the counter.

Our whole lives are a continual pattern of doing and undoing, creating and streamlining, opening and closing, beginning and ending. When you keep this in mind, you stop resenting the daily acts of putting things away and taking them out. You see those minute tasks as playing into the larger rhythm that is your life.

Put it away out of courtesy to the person or people with whom you share your space.

Put it away to show the gratitude you have for it by caring for it and storing it properly.

Put it away because every day, we use so many things that if frequency of use applied to each, every surface would be clogged, every jar uncapped, every shirt balled in a pile on the floor.

Put it away because consistency is key in household maintenance, and it is far easier to regulate your behavior with your stuff across the board than it is to attempt to delineate how you should look after individual products.

Put it away Simply because you have a spot for it.

Put it away so that it’s there to take out tomorrow, that taking-out contributing to the overall sense of how life is continually beginning over each moment, and certainly each day.

But really, for the love of god, just put it away.

Image credits: 1. Fox & Owl, Varpunen via A Merry Mishap, 2. Merricks Art 

 

4 Comments

  1. Tatiana on January 8, 2014 at 5:21 am

    Excellent!!!

  2. Smash on January 8, 2014 at 4:21 pm

    This is SO true & I have never really thought about it like that….I really need some organization in my life. When we move this spring I would love for you to help with the new place. Do you do long-distance consultations?

    • Annie on January 9, 2014 at 9:35 am

      Yes, and for you? Pshhh. Although I definitely feel we need to meet.

  3. Zoey Zilkowski on January 9, 2014 at 2:43 pm

    “I meet my work WHEN WORK IS DONE
    with strong limbs. “There is a pause when work is done
    open hands, A blessing for the task completed:
    proud heart.” I rejoice in the strength of my bones
    who welcomed labor as a guest”

    From Seven Times the Sun, by Shea Darian

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4 Comments

  1. Tatiana on January 8, 2014 at 5:21 am

    Excellent!!!

  2. Smash on January 8, 2014 at 4:21 pm

    This is SO true & I have never really thought about it like that….I really need some organization in my life. When we move this spring I would love for you to help with the new place. Do you do long-distance consultations?

    • Annie on January 9, 2014 at 9:35 am

      Yes, and for you? Pshhh. Although I definitely feel we need to meet.

  3. Zoey Zilkowski on January 9, 2014 at 2:43 pm

    “I meet my work WHEN WORK IS DONE
    with strong limbs. “There is a pause when work is done
    open hands, A blessing for the task completed:
    proud heart.” I rejoice in the strength of my bones
    who welcomed labor as a guest”

    From Seven Times the Sun, by Shea Darian

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