To Stash or Not To Stash- Preparing for Thanksgiving
I was in my mechanic’s waiting room a few days ago having some work done on my car. I opted for the latest Good Housekeeping magazine (Nov 2007) instead of trying to focus on more detailed professional work while I waited. I came across an article titled “Make Your Home Welcoming- in Minutes”. Given my profession of helping people to find harmony in their work or life, I was intrigued by the title and started reading. A few sentences into the first paragraph, I groaned…
“In your entryway, gather all signs of everyday life- mail, toys, shoes- and stash them in a shopping bag that can disappear into a closet.”
Yes, I know that sometimes stashing is all you have time for when clutter abounds and company is arriving… the problem isn’t what they recommended (although I’d prefer not to have to use that option), it’s what Good Housekeeping neglected to mention…
When do you actually retrieve those stashes and mindfully handle each of the items?
More often then not, at the time a homeowner calls me, I help them process bags and bags of stashes from days gone by. Amongst the junk mail and candy wrappers may be uncashed checks, that shoe that was missing, and the bill that never was paid.
If I could rewrite that Good Housekeeping sentence, I would include… “Stash only if you must. Then commit to review the stashed items after the holidays when calm resumes.”
