HOARDING - OR NOT....

HOARDING - OR NOT!

In June of 2013, I was informed that the building where my classroom was being housed would be closing. I had one week to box everything up and either find a place at home or have the district move it. I decided most of the furniture could be moved by the district, but most of the books, plants and other essentials would be moved to my garage. Little did I know that my garage would take on the sense of a hoarder. Yes there definitely is a theme; books, books and more books.

In August 2013, I found out where my classroom was going to be housed this year. WOW! What a space – 4 rooms that are small. Talk about downsizing. Yes, I definitely will need to take a look at my garage and will need to analyze what I will essentially need to support my students this year. 

Last September 2013, I started downsizing my new classroom and filled 15 boxes of material and books. These treasures found a new home at United Way.

Labor Day weekend 2013, I started tackling my garage again. Little did I know I would make it worse instead of better.

During Veteran’s Day weekend 2013 and I worked again on my garage. I set a goal of getting my car into my garage by October. Well that didn’t happen and now it’s November and I am dealing with the boxes again. I actually can see more of the floor and more is stacked upon each other on the counter. Yes there is a counter under those boxes. (At one time I had tons of counter space (3 to be exact) to use to create projects on. Currently I don’t have any cleared counter space. – Maybe someday soon……)

I don’t consider myself a hoarder but I don’t like giving away something that I might need for later use (box of cardboard and Styrofoam disks). 

My daughter found a great kitchen table and 4 chairs (free) last summer so of course they are in the garage waiting for when she finds her own place. I also have a ton of children paraphernalia – 3 bouncy chairs (was planning on selling them at the consignment shop in Puyallup during October – ran out of room in the car), 1 trike, 2 bikes, 1 double stroller.

Eventually I might need to find some place in the basement for boxed items – not books, because of the water problem down there. I am assuming the Halloween and Christmas decorations will find their way down soon. It’s a pain to climb the stairs, wade through the trickling water (ongoing springs drain into my basement) and find a dry place. Ohh, maybe I could find good use for the plastic shelving from my old classroom to use in the basement to store items off the cold, damp floor. What a great idea.

May 2014 - Currently my garage is still looking messy and I still can't get a car into the garage. It has gone through some transformations. Two bouncy chairs were sold at the consignment shop in Puyallup in May and I got rid of tons of books (mostly to the Goodwill). Did a bit of shifting (now I have a little counter space), gave my dad 10 boxes of Christmas lights (I buy them when they are cheap at Lowe's around Black Friday - I use them to decorate my outside tree year round- it's cool). Of course my jaunts to the Goodwill has added to the pile. Projects are now in the middle of the garage taunting me to finish them and I will find the time soon with only 17 more school days left.