Practical Application of a Childhood Lesson

Some time ago I got my mother's attention when I told her that I was making a list of things she taught me over the years.  We had a good laugh when I assured her I was only writing down the good stuff.

This past week that conversation came back to me as we worked around here trading offices. Why? Well, one of the most important characteristics that Mother passed on to her girls is the value of order and tidiness.  Now, of course, some of the sisters have 'drank the kool-aid' more avidly than others but if you knew my mother you knew she liked things in place and in good working order.

When I made the suggestion to Sherwin that he may like my office because it could give him the space that he desperately needed, I didn't think it would be this chaotic.  I didn't think that I would feel as displaced as I did or that it would be this much work. Just another suggestion in my long list of ideas.

This room has been my nest since we moved here nearly 10 years ago.  I originally wanted the little room at the west end of the house because of the view and the coziness but I had worked with the larger east office and made it Mine.

I started by emptying out my office, bit by bit, placing the boxes and furniture in the living or dining room.  The floors were scrubbed, the walls dusted and the book shelves cleaned. Sherwin was going to get a clean office.

Then I walked on over to his office and oh my!!!

But slowly it has all evolved and tonight we are sitting at opposite ends of the house working on our computers in our new offices.  When we are more settled I will take the 'after' photos that will show us in our new environments.

This is the beginning of my new office. . .

And Sherwin is having fun settling into his new digs.

We still are walking through a small aisle from one end of the house to the other, trying to sort through the 'stuff' we don't think we want back in our offices.

Our art supplies are being put away for a new day upstairs in the new studio which gives us both a lot more space to do the day-to-day work we want to do at our desks now.

"Order and simplification are the first steps towards the mastery of a subject."
-Thomas Mann


Hope your week was more orderly than mine and wishing you great new days ahead.
Be well.