In today's Post-Standard, Sean Kirst wrote about the challenge of his desk and de-cluttering it. I direct you to http://www.syracuse.com/ for his article.I have long talked the talk about de-cluttering, and last fall I was able to go through the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen in a three day binge, but my desk has always been a problem. Not my desk at the office - that is always neat as a pin (on top) because I sit front and center so the desk is seen by anyone walking through the door. When I worked at Gallinger, I was down below and, like Sean, my desk spilled over into an unused area and up the wall. When I left, I boxed it all up. And when RE/MAX moved out of the Camillus office to Skaneateles, I boxed that up, too. Both boxes reside in the apartment, to be gone through some day in the future.
The photo is of my desk at home. It's really only where the computer resides - I couldn't work there! I use the island in the kitchen for my notebook and phone work, the old cabinet in the front hall as repository of all my coming and going files, the apartment for storage of old files, and the garage for signs.
My "desk" is my old dining room table, the one piece of furniture I bought and brought from Seattle. I love it, even if it's not a real desk. (Bob took my parents' desk and keeps it very neat - oh yes, I use those drawers, too, I forgot!) My heated vest is on the back of the chair, close to the plug-ins on the old cat condo that still sits there even though the cats have moved on. I have photos as well - me as a 3-year-old, Alex at 210 pounds and then 6 months later at 160 when he decided to lose the weight, the dogs, Anna and Sebastian. There's a picture from a 2006 Skaneateles Journal of a friend's daughter with her very chubby face and Christmas glow. Hermes' photo is on the printer - he liked to sit on my old computer so I keep his photo close.
I can look out the window into the apartment and watch the birdfeeder, or gather wood from the woodpile on the deck. The sun is streaming in right now, making it feel like spring is right around the corner.
There is a sign I use when Jolanta cleans - "Please do not touch my desk - I know it's a mess!"
I am very afraid that she will move something and I will be left internet-less. Consequently, it's rather dusty as well. A cobweb or two reside on the window ledge.
But I just entered a wonderful listing here - ML#S245960 in Camillus - and I am enjoying this blog. Sean showed his desk cleaned. I won't do that yet. I don't lose things, and it's really not that bad. At this time I have a way of working that I like and has proven to be successful. But some day I will get to the living room, and then I'll share the new desk.
For now - congratulations to Sean for making the transition!
