Photo: The Creative Exchange

   
Surprisingly audacious reflections of a humble writer                                                                                                                                                                                                
DUSTING VS DECLUTTERING 

Man, oh man, do I ever hate household chores.  I don't mind vacuuming.  There's something satisfying about seeing lint and footprints disappear.  However, when it comes to dusting, I will put it off for as long as possible.  This is probably due to the fact that as a child, I was required to clean my room every day.  Okay, so it was necessary to earn my allowance, but let's get real.  Every day?  Dust does not accumulate that much every day.  In a week, maybe. 

Dusting is done when it gets to me or when we have company.  Since we don't have company often, I can put it off for quite a while.  It's only when dust settles on top of table tops and dressers so thickly I can write my name in it that I'll pull out the Pledge.

By now, you get the idea about my thoughts on dusting.  Perhaps Oscar Wilde said it best, "Man is made for something better than disturbing dirt."

On the other hand, I love to declutter.  Unlike dusting, which feels so futile and self-defeating, there's a sense of accomplishment with decluttering, a satisfying feeling that there is less junk in the house.  It imparts a sense of order.  And with decluttering, there is always the chance of finding a treasure.

Earlier this year while I was tidying up the kitchen, I did in fact find a treasure.  While cleaning out a drawer, I found a little book my daughter had made when she about the age of six.  Abby loved to tell jokes, so one day she wrote down her favorites and made a joke book.  She used to read them out loud to my husband and me and we would be thoroughly entertained.

After straightening up the drawer and throwing away pens that no longer worked, scraps of paper, and bent paper clips, I read what she had written.  The jokes were corny.  I remembered most of them and they still had me giggling.

Here are some of my favorites.  I hope they make you laugh out loud or bring a smile to your face.

And a few more:

I love these jokes...
and to think the little joke book would never have been found IF I HAD BEEN DUSTING!

It's been said that dusting is supposed to improve air quality.  So, the air quality in our house is probably not what it should be.  In my defense, I vacuum the house weekly and judging by the amount of dust that's sucked up, I'd say my house stays rather clean.

Given the choice between dusting and decluttering, you know which one I'd choose.  Decluttering has way more advantages.  It can improve concentration and lower stress levels.  It can boost your mood.  Decluttering can help you with your decision-making and problem-solving skills because you have so much stuff and you only have so much space to make everything fit, therefore you have to decide what to keep (and where to put it) and what to discard.  And best of all...it can lead you to treasures that you've forgotten that you have.

 
À la prochaine!