I’m proud to say that we have decided to stick to our plan despite being so very done with contractors and insurance companies and people with tool belts and quirky ringtones disrupting our space.
It’s been about a month now that our house has been back to normal following our Water Leak Mold Issue. I think the only reason we are willing to forge ahead with the Home Office Redo adventure is because it doesn’t involve anyone else. All DIY all the way. No contractors allowed.
In preparation for all the fun of new, I decided I first needed to do a big old fashioned purge and cleaning of shelves and drawers and files. And thus has been my laser focus for the past several days. I honestly feel like I am playing hooky laying here typing about it.
I pride myself on keeping clutter minimized and not holding onto stuff past its utility. Exhibit A would be the copious Goodwill receipts I include in each year’s tax file. So I thought going through our four drawers of files would be maybe two afternoon’s worth of busy work.
I am on Day 4 and just finished Drawer 3 tonight. Apparently I keep my clutter in hanging folders.
So far I have filled 5 paper grocery bags with shredded paper, with at least 3 more yet to go. I have overheated the shredder twice. We had to take one of our cats to the vet yesterday morning because he spent all night apparently trying to throw up some shredded paper bits he ate when I wasn’t looking. Lots of spot cleaning of carpet still to do. Tonight I had to fashion a wire coat hanger into a poker thingy so I could unclog one of the central vacuum tubes. It was filled with, you guessed it, shredded paper. It’s like the opening scene of every Love Boat episode – confetti everywhere.
For the first time in, well, forever, I am committed to opening each and every file neatly housed in our file cabinet. It became obvious rather quickly that there are some files I haven’t looked in in years.
I have ditched about half a dozen files for loyalty programs back from when I used to travel a lot for work. Funny how I rarely stay in Hiltons or Hyatts anymore now that someone else isn’t paying for it.
I also got rid of files for stores that no longer exist (remember Mervyns?) and for credit cards I cancelled long ago (I cancelled my JC Penney’s card over 10 years ago. Yesterday I deemed it safe to shred the letter closing the account.). And the Arbor Day Foundation. Really? I had a file for that? Yep, back from when we first moved to Woodhaven and we signed up for free trees since we had so much room and so little experience.
But then there have been other files. The ones I didn’t expect to take me on an emotional journey of my adulthood.
There was a file for our beloved and departed cat, Brad. We adopted him 3 years after we got married and he moved with us to Woodhaven 11 years later. He was with us for nearly 15 years and was my comfort and buddy through two major back surgeries. I couldn’t bear to part with the entire file so I just saved a few of the mementoes. Like his adoption papers and the notes I took when I consulted a pet psychic on his behalf (hey, don’t judge me. I won it at a charity auction and only believed most of it. Good Lord, that cat had a sense of humor. And an attitude.).
There was the file for the car I had to give up before it was paid off because it was killing my back.
And the file with all the letters and check lists when I finally decided to change my last name to Rob’s after ten years of marriage.
I smiled at the file for the super fun wine club we were members of when we lived in California and were just starting to get really excited by the world of wine. It was just in front of the file I started ten years later when we bought 54 grapevines to plant our own vineyard in our front yard at Woodhaven. Cheers to estate wine!
Blessedly untouched for nearly 15 years, I found the file of so much research I did when my grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer (she’s fine now – turned 90 this past May and is still working. Go Grandma!).
And then there was the file of our move to Woodhaven and evidence of the great deal we got since the moving company underestimated how much all of our treasures weighed. But the joke was on us since they lost a not-made-anymore contractor’s ladder a neighbor had given us. Lots of paper to shred regarding the eventually-approved the claim.
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| Key for my colored dot coding system on moving boxes |
The hardest files, though, have been the ones related to my last job and my applications for long term disability.
A few days ago, I sifted through all the notes and letters and forms I filled out after it became clear that my back surgeries weren’t going to give me my life back after all. Social Security isn’t the easiest system to figure out. Private disability insurance isn’t much better. So many rules and hoops and forms and clarifications and letters. Denials and appeals and approvals. And then, eventually, autopilot. All resulting in reams of paper. And now lots of confetti.
I relived some of the stress of that time as I carefully pulled out the pertinent letters and added others to the shred pile. As I remembered the past it made me so very grateful for the present. And for insurance.
Today I went through the files from the last job of my career. I was only there a year but it was an intense year. I found a handful of very nice emails people copied me on when complimenting my work to my boss. I came across my company bio with accompanying photo and tried to remember the young, smiling, professional woman who was “adept at working with multivariate analysis to enhance the meaning of the management information provided” (yeah, I didn’t write that but it sure sounds fancy. I wonder what it means?).
And then there were the get well cards signed by everyone in the office while I recuperated from Surgery 1 and then a year later, Surgery 2. And the emails giving my boss updates after doctor appointments, forever hopeful that I would return to full speed in record time. And my failed attempt to return to the office after 9 months. One week later I was back working from home. One month later I was not working at all. Five months later I was told my career and working days were officially over. Resignation letter. Company announcement email. Nice “sorry to see you go” emails. Sigh.
So I’ve been sort of oddly emotional and reflective the past few days. I wasn’t prepared to delve into The End of My Career and dead cats and cancelled life insurance policies. I thought I was just cleaning out files and tidying things up.
The final drawer untouched is mostly bank statements. I am very grateful that there isn’t much drama in those files. Then I can move on to drawers filled with pens and photo paper and envelopes. God willing, I won’t get sentimental and wistful over Sharpies and binder clips.
And then, finally then, we can close the drawers on the past and greet the future with 830lb of IKEA office furniture and soothing Silverado walls.
(It's a dark purple with blue undertones. Rob is suitably concerned, both by the color and my description.)
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