I tend to clean up in piles. Not exactly the Marie Kondo method (I’ve never seen her show but I’m sure I’d find it interesting), more like the “archaeological dig” approach to household management.
Here’s how it works: when I clean up, I make piles of stuff and then move those piles to different locations. I clean up the living room by making a pile of stuff and moving that pile to the bedroom. Then I go back to the living room, move around some other stuff, make a new pile, and take that to the garage. Then I go back again, make another pile, and take that one to “The Brown Room.”
At the end of this carefully choreographed pile migration, the living room looks great.
Then, of course, I have to deal with the other rooms.
Not necessarily on the same day.
In fact, almost never on the same day… or the same week… maybe not even the same month. But that’s what’s cool about this process. When I eventually circle back to one of the rooms I previously “cleaned,” it’s like a treasure hunt.
I’ll open a random box or lift a mysterious stack of things and – bam! – “Wow! Look what I found!”
Often, I find notes I made while reading or listening to books (always cool!). I also find photos – yes real photos. It’s like my piles are time capsules. Little reminders that I can be chaotic but oddly optimistic.
If I cleaned up “properly” or “perfectly,” I’d never have these small moments of found joy. And maybe that’s the real lesson – we don’t have to do everything the “right” way to create an environment that allows success, or happiness, to happen. Sometimes the messy route is where the good stuff hides.
Perfection might look nice, but imperfection gives us stories. And sometimes, even a smile.
So here’s to pile-cleaners everywhere. May your clutter be interesting, your rediscoveries delightful, and your living room temporarily spotless.
One Win: The living room looks great (for now).
One Question: What forgotten joy might be waiting under your next pile?
(stayed away from politics today…refreshing for me for sure!)
MattMunnell.com 