Archive for the No More Chaos
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
Digging out of chaos — I have a study
It’s time for the big update you’ve been waiting for (if you’ve been with me long enough). I’ve dug out of the chaos in what was “the den” and is now “my study.”
My study is beautiful and, most important, I can use it for something besides a walk-in junk drawer. I used to stand in the doorway (because it was unsafe and unhealthy to walk any further) and toss stuff onto the pile. Now I can walk into the room and sit down at my desk and work at my computer.
A visiting grandchild can sit opposite me on that little stool and work at the desk with me. And there’s room beside me for Talitha to pull up a chair so we can look at school work together.
Or I can sit in my armchair and read my Bible or just do nothing.
AND now I have something I’ve never had before–a place especially for my sewing machine. And even better, it’s a fold-away shelf, so it’s out of sight when I’m not using it.
I am so thankful for the gifts God has given our son Benjamin, who took my ideas and wishes, worked with what was left in the room after I emptied it, got creative with Ikea pieces to make them fit with existing shelves, and coordinated the project.
I know I may not be entirely objective, but there are plenty of others besides me who think Piper Construction is pretty great.
Digging out of chaos — previous posts:
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Digging out of Chaos — Thanksgiving
Today I am thankful for the encouragement that so many of you have given me in my efforts to dig out of chaos. I am still working on the 1st main project, making a study for myself out of the junk room that was supposed to be my study.
Here’s the status. You saw the room with everything emptied out. Then you saw it with a new desk, carpet, windows, paint, etc. There is still more furniture I hope to get as the budget allows–2 under-desk drawer units and 2 lateral file cabinets that match the desk.
My Christmas wish list includes an armchair for comfortable reading and 2 adjustable-height chairs to pull up to the side of the desk opposite my chair. They will be for homeschool sessions with Talitha and for visiting grandchildren who want to do desk work near me.
In the meantime, I’ve borrowed a file cabinet from friends. This week I hope to get the files loaded in. I was feeling overwhelmed with the thought of sorting and organizing the files. Then one thought changed that feeling: I don’t have to sort the files now. I just need to get them in the drawer where they belong.
At this moment, Johnny and Talitha are hanging the valances I made today. The material is from Turkey and was the inspiration for the paint and carpet colors.
I wouldn’t have believed how even this one room freed from chaos has opened my heart to greater feelings of thanksgiving this week.
Friday, November 6th, 2009
We interrupt this series to bring you . . . an update
It’s the week before Orphan Sunday, and I’m not finished telling our adoption story. But I need to interrupt with an important update.
Early in October I showed you before and after pictures of my walk-in junk drawer–what it looked like before and after I emptied it totally.
I also listed lies I’d been discovering as I dug out of chaos.
Lest you think that was the end and maybe things just fizzled back to chaotic normal, here’s an update–a preview of more to come, Lord willing.
Tonight Talitha and Johnny were helping me finish assembling my new work table and getting everything plugged in. Just compare the corner to any of the “before” photos.
Monday, October 5th, 2009
I’ve dug out!
The walk-in junk drawer is empty. Here are the before and after pictures to prove it. The desk and file cabinet will be moved by someone else. The boxes in the corner are new shelves waiting to be assembled.
The cloth on the desk is a table cover from Turkey that I’ll use to make valances.
Thank you — a huge thank you — to my husband who hauled file box after file box in our faithful red wagon, to the garage to keep or to the trash to throw or to the car to donate to our favorite thrift shop
Speaking of our favorite thrift shop. I found out today it pays to donate where you’re a frequent shopper. When I took today’s load, the lady helping me said, “Oh, wait! I have something for you.” She handed me an item from yesterday’s load which had included a stack of new, never used photo albums. Except this album had family pictures in it. Guess I got a little too enthusiastic in my clearing yesterday.
Now I can leave with a clear conscience to go with my husband and daughter on a ministry trip. More on that later.
And when I return, I’ll start the next half–putting the room back together again.
