I LOVE this, Lisa! And you lit a fire under my butt to deal with the gezillions of paint cans in our house, from our years here (16) AND the former owners!!! Thankfully, Maine participates in the program you linked to! Also, I have to admit, if it was not for Passover every year, which encourages/urges/directs me to do a major cleaning sweep all through the house, I probably would NEVER do spring cleaning either. Oh, but it does feel sooooo godd once we are done. Exhausting, but good!
Also, what's with people leaving their old paint in the house? This should be illegal! I'm so happy Maine is one of the states that makes it easier to deal with. Hoping others will follow suit because I'm sure we aren't the only ones with this problem!
YAY!!!!! Nina, this makes me SO happy!!! Can you tell by all the exclamation points? This is exactly what I intended to do with this Substack: inspire my friends and anyone else who will listen (or read) to create mental and physical space for themselves. Especially for my writer friends, all that “someday” stuff is standing in the way of your writing. I hadn’t thought about the connection to Passover, but thanks for sharing that. “Someday I’ll learn more about Judaism” is on my list!
Great essay!! I have some thoughts about cleaning but I need time to articulate them. In the meantime, this is exactly what I needed to spur me toward a plan.
I really do. I’m having a tough time, though. The current situation in the US and the terrible things happening keep me from focusing on my writing and I keep veering toward politics on my Substack. I want to change trajectories but keep getting caught up. big sigh I’m just not sure how to turn it around to reflect my work and my focus.
I get this. I try to keep my Substack feed more literary and get most of my political bullshit out of my system over on Bluesky. It’s not easy to focus amid the madness, that’s for sure! I get most of my news from @Heather Cox Richardson’s explainers and a few other trusted sources that I follow here and on Bluesky. I’m trying to do more outside and keep my scrolling to a minimum. Hope this helps!
I love your suggestions! I’m so guilty of leaving holiday decor up waaaay past due. I have a ghost painting from Halloween time that just kind of is part of my home decor now 😆🙌
I love a good purge. Just went through shelves of Pyrex cookware, some have never been used, some have, but not since I moved into this apartment 18 years ago. What's the likelihood I'm going to start making pies out of the blue. There isn't any one...give away pile. This is why I love the Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook. One persons clutter is another's treasure.
The cheapest kitty litter works great! But after 25 years in my house, I have another batch to get rid of. I embrace Facebook market place for things of value or Salvation Army for smaller useful items. However, I’ve been driving around for months with a bag of donations and a camera in the back of my car!🤣
No more need to handle the kitty litter or the paint. Use the link in my post, and you'll see there are stores in Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, and Rolling Meadows where you can drop it off. 😊 And I hope you drop that bag off tomorrow! I'm going to text you..
My recent pre-move culling has me disposing of a stack of magazines reaching my shoulder. I have loved magazines since my mom gave me a subscription to SEVENTEEN, all through my teen years. I will NOT be getting rid of those with this move (because ... 80s fashion!!). I have an essay coming out this year with Reunion: The Dallas Review drawn in part from articles in my collection of vintage 1980s teen magazines.
I LOVE this, Lisa! And you lit a fire under my butt to deal with the gezillions of paint cans in our house, from our years here (16) AND the former owners!!! Thankfully, Maine participates in the program you linked to! Also, I have to admit, if it was not for Passover every year, which encourages/urges/directs me to do a major cleaning sweep all through the house, I probably would NEVER do spring cleaning either. Oh, but it does feel sooooo godd once we are done. Exhausting, but good!
Also, what's with people leaving their old paint in the house? This should be illegal! I'm so happy Maine is one of the states that makes it easier to deal with. Hoping others will follow suit because I'm sure we aren't the only ones with this problem!
right, it's like handing down a burden. Not cool (note to self when I sell one day! lol)
YAY!!!!! Nina, this makes me SO happy!!! Can you tell by all the exclamation points? This is exactly what I intended to do with this Substack: inspire my friends and anyone else who will listen (or read) to create mental and physical space for themselves. Especially for my writer friends, all that “someday” stuff is standing in the way of your writing. I hadn’t thought about the connection to Passover, but thanks for sharing that. “Someday I’ll learn more about Judaism” is on my list!
I can teach you a lot about Judaism! Ask away! ;-)
Great essay!! I have some thoughts about cleaning but I need time to articulate them. In the meantime, this is exactly what I needed to spur me toward a plan.
Thank you. I’m so glad it’s helping you! Having to write the last post in the series is motivating me. Don’t you love Substack?
I really do. I’m having a tough time, though. The current situation in the US and the terrible things happening keep me from focusing on my writing and I keep veering toward politics on my Substack. I want to change trajectories but keep getting caught up. big sigh I’m just not sure how to turn it around to reflect my work and my focus.
I get this. I try to keep my Substack feed more literary and get most of my political bullshit out of my system over on Bluesky. It’s not easy to focus amid the madness, that’s for sure! I get most of my news from @Heather Cox Richardson’s explainers and a few other trusted sources that I follow here and on Bluesky. I’m trying to do more outside and keep my scrolling to a minimum. Hope this helps!
I love your suggestions! I’m so guilty of leaving holiday decor up waaaay past due. I have a ghost painting from Halloween time that just kind of is part of my home decor now 😆🙌
Thanks! If the ghost wants to stay and be part of your aesthetic, just own it! 😁
I love a good purge. Just went through shelves of Pyrex cookware, some have never been used, some have, but not since I moved into this apartment 18 years ago. What's the likelihood I'm going to start making pies out of the blue. There isn't any one...give away pile. This is why I love the Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook. One persons clutter is another's treasure.
So true! I love the idea of giving things a whole new life!
The cheapest kitty litter works great! But after 25 years in my house, I have another batch to get rid of. I embrace Facebook market place for things of value or Salvation Army for smaller useful items. However, I’ve been driving around for months with a bag of donations and a camera in the back of my car!🤣
No more need to handle the kitty litter or the paint. Use the link in my post, and you'll see there are stores in Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, and Rolling Meadows where you can drop it off. 😊 And I hope you drop that bag off tomorrow! I'm going to text you..
My recent pre-move culling has me disposing of a stack of magazines reaching my shoulder. I have loved magazines since my mom gave me a subscription to SEVENTEEN, all through my teen years. I will NOT be getting rid of those with this move (because ... 80s fashion!!). I have an essay coming out this year with Reunion: The Dallas Review drawn in part from articles in my collection of vintage 1980s teen magazines.
Glad I wasn't the only one with a pile of magazines. Those Seventeens are keepers, though, and I'm excited to read what you wrote about them!