My husband declared, “This house is so cluttered, I can’t find anything!” I glanced around and realized, ironically, that the majority of the mess belonged to him, at least on that particular day. He seemed completely unaware of this fact. He’s not just a closet packrat; he’s also an avid guitar builder and rebuilder, constantly modifying guitars that don’t quite meet his exacting standards. Our living room has become a guitar parts graveyard—we could practically open a store!
Perhaps they should design tables with a slight incline because every flat surface in our house becomes a magnet for guitar parts, newspapers, mail, art supplies, non-functional telephones (‘they might be salvageable!’), and all the paraphernalia associated with guitar construction and performance. His ‘workroom’ has a habit of expanding its territory into the living areas. Just recently, he suggested using the spare bedroom for ‘storage,’ too. I faced a dilemma: confront him with the undeniable truth that most of the clutter is his or silently put away his belongings in his so-called ‘workroom’. Of course, he’d complain then because it would be ‘put up.’ Items that are ‘put up’ are lost forever. We hide them so well that we might as well buy a replacement, for all the good searching will do.
The problem, I suspect, is that we simply have too much stuff. If someone asked us to take up our cross and follow Christ (or Yeshua), we’d likely be unable to locate it amidst the chaos. The Spring cleaning spirit has also vanished. It used to visit annually around March. Things would get tidied and ‘put up,’ only to gradually revert to their original state. Little baskets I strategically placed to conceal guitar components and pocket contents are now overflowing with gloves, dog leashes, papers, and even an amplifier precariously balanced on top.
Dust is another significant issue. We reside in the Southwest, where rain is as rare as finding correct change from a vending machine. Abundant dust leads to excessive static electricity, which, in turn, causes computer glitches and freezes. As self-proclaimed computer geeks, this presents a considerable challenge. We frequently resort to unplugging and replugging everything to dissipate the static charge. I even purchased anti-static spray, but, alas, it’s already vanished after a single use. We live in Colorado, but you’d think I was back in West Texas, given the amount of dust that infiltrates our home. Because I work from home, my husband assumes I have ample time to dust and locate misplaced items. He couldn’t be more wrong… Occasionally, I do tackle chores, but anything requiring dusting that’s over five feet tall remains untouched. Out of sight, out of mind. It doesn’t bother me as long as I can’t see it.
Perhaps I should start building pianos. They have numerous parts. And they’re quite large. Nah. They possess a flat surface on top. I’d never be able to access them for repairs. Besides, I’d never accomplish anything else, spending all day playing the piano…