Monday, January 3, 2011

January Bonus

Maggie isn't happy with me. She hates changes. 

I'm sitting in what used to be my son's bedroom. Actually, in the blueprint for our house, this was supposed to be a "bonus room". Whatever that is. 

Anyway, it's a long room that sits over the top of our garage, and while Sonny-boy was home, it was an enormous room in which he could accumulate all sorts of junk. I used to open his door and feel my blood pressure rise when I  surveyed the clutter, but quickly learned to just shut the door and walk away. It was his own little domain. What the heck. Every now and then I'd steel myself, tell John I'm going in! and gather up an armful of clothes and dishes as I made one pass through his disastrous room. 

So my buddy boy has been living on his own since 2005, and lately John and I have been eyeing that room. We still call it Buddy's room, but the name finally just doesn't seem......right. Slowly, things  have crept in there over the years - like a pool table and foosball table and a dart board. Son has taken his prized wall decor - don't ask - and his bed and dresser to his apartment long ago. As stuff migrates in and out of the house with various children, John and I have finally noticed how big this room is. Well, now. There's real possibilities here.....

After six years. I'm a slow learner. 

This is a major attitude adjustment for me. When my kiddos - son and then two daughters - headed out to college, I went into a period of mourning for months. I called them every day. I sent emails. I mailed packages. I fretted to John endlessly. I'd analyze the tone of their voices when they would call. Do you think he/she is upset? Stressed? Anxious? Needing their mom? Maybe I should hop in the car and go up there....

Yes. I was pretty obnoxious. Well, even more obnoxious than I am now. 

So this feeling as though I can be at peace with making my 28 year old son's room something else than a bedroom is nothing short of miraculous. 

We've discussed a gazillion options for use of this room. Since John spends a few days a week working at home, he has claimed a small corner for his work computer and related junk essentials. But the rest of the room has turned into a catch-all for unused furniture, seasonal decorations, and just stuff that I don't know what to do with. 

This is going to change. 

It would be a crying shame to let all this space go to waste. So I'm on a mission over the next month to put some kind of order into this room. It needs a purpose in life.....kind of like me. We're both pretty unkempt these days. 

Two-for-one bookshelves! Woo!

I think there's a foosball table in there....somewhere....

 January is a great month for organization. For both people and houses. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

let's paint! let's paint!

ShareThis