My cutlery drawer says a lot about my life.
Few people could live with a drawer like mine. But for me, it’s OK. Cutlery gets dumped in. Cutlery gets taken out, when needed. There is no system. No order. It doesn’t look terribly good. But it’s functional. And it saves time – microseconds of time – but all those microseconds add up. And if there is one thing I am thrifty about, it’s time.
I save up every microsecond and put it where it counts.
That’s how I get it all done. Two girls, living in chaos, writing 100 – 150 page books each month, blogging, socialising…all those scrupulously saved microseconds go where they ought to go.
I think, the secret to living with furniture piled up to the ceiling, dump-and-run cutlery drawers, and knee-high grass, is a quiet mind.
Occasionally it pangs. Like the day we returned home and the furniture, the grass and the still-to-be-written 150 page book began to seep into the crevices of my mind, munch at its happy, calm corners until happy and calm were out, and chaos and overwhelmed-ness were in.
The Mountain
The other night, a group of women sat beside the lake, with candles and thermoses of tea. The moon was nearly full, its reflection on the water’s silky surface. It was very Witches of Eastwick. One of the ladies read aloud a card about the Mountain Mother. Standing still, in the present moment, her head in the clouds, but grounded. Life and children happen, but she is still and resilient.
I used the mountain metaphor in my less happy, calm years. I visualised being a mountain, as seasons passed, clouds passed, the sky changed colour and the wind blew. Reflecting on it all. Being present. Grounded.
It helped me get out of my head.
My head was no longer like my cutlery drawer.
My cutlery drawer
While I am mountain, and my head is clear, I can have a drawer, like my cutlery drawer. I can have a million books to write, and a 3-year-old like a crazed tornado high on sugar (that’s no metaphor), and a baby, and a house where you negotiate stacked chairs and boxes to get to the kitchen.
If I let the chaos creep in though, I become a little like that crazed 3-year-old, and it all comes crashing down. Let’s not go there.
What part of your house most describes you?
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Linking with Essentially Jess for IBOT.
April 2, 2013 at 6:41 am
My whole kitchen is crazed, it is way to small to start with. I don’t know how you do it, that is alot of writing to get done with 2 small Children.
April 2, 2013 at 7:50 am
I have a very supportive husband! We share parenting/work responsibilities. I know what it’s like having a small kitchen. x
April 2, 2013 at 6:54 am
My cupboards, My house is quite orderly and tidy (well, the bits I have control over anyway) but don’t open my cupboards, They have some sense of order, in a messy kind of way, I guess that describes me. Well presented on the outside, looking like I’ve got it together, but look inside my mind there are compartments with the promise of order, but each compartment is a mess. Yep, that’s me. I know where everything is though ,,, so I can find it all ,,,. it’s just not in neat little rows which is my dream.
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit
April 2, 2013 at 7:50 am
I can relate to this too Leanne. My cupboards are very unglamorous, though I wish they were. x
April 2, 2013 at 7:05 am
ooo, need to think about that one….but our cultery draw is like that – less about my head and more about my life – who has time for orderly serving spoons? The day I worry about that (or even register it) is the day I’m wasting…
April 2, 2013 at 7:41 am
Phew! Thanks for letting me know there’s someone else like me! xx
April 2, 2013 at 7:16 am
Interesting post that has me thinking, thanks so much.
My bed would be most like me- cozy, colourful, slightly crumpled space, inviting. -deb xx
April 2, 2013 at 7:40 am
Love it Deb. I’d rather be a bed than a cutlery drawer 🙂 x
April 2, 2013 at 8:24 am
our second drawer is like that – cutlery draw has an organiser, but all the utensils that go in the second drawer are completely messy. I think maybe I’m a bit like our couch – always there when needed, waiting patiently TO be needed. ha, I have no idea!
April 2, 2013 at 9:41 am
Normally my house is in a state of CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and it doesn’t bother me. I’d rather be doing stuff I love, and as long as we all have clean clothes, food to eat and a relatively clean bathroom that’s all that matters. However, the last few weeks I’ve felt the nesting instinct starting to kick in and it’s becoming a problem, the mess and clutter is actually causing me physical anguish so I am about to give in to the instinct and just get some hardcore cleaning and organising done, then I know I can sit around and relax!
April 2, 2013 at 10:56 am
My cutlery drawer isn’t too bad. Not the best but it works, and infrequently tidy things up. I just like things to be ordered, but not too ordered. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle of you and my mother in law 😉
What type of books do you write Zanni?
April 2, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Hi Jess. I write subjects in Certificate IV and Diploma community service course. It’s largely content, with case studies and assessments. It’s great work which I can do from home. 🙂
April 2, 2013 at 2:42 pm
Oh wow! I never knew that! What an awesome opportunity for you xx
April 2, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Yes, it’s pretty excellent. I love working from home and having that flexibility. And it’s a great chance to exercise my writing muscles! Plus, I know all there is to know about providing foot care to the elderly 😉 You never know when that might come in handy.
April 2, 2013 at 1:28 pm
I have a cutlery draw a bit like that too! And a bitsa bowl. Its a very pretty bowl from the outside but the contents is eclectic, you could find anything in there and there is no one theme!
I am actually getting better this year at being organised though, my cupboards inside are very orderly and organised, now, impressed myself, and it actually has been saving me time and energy!
But I would have to say my garden is what I feel reflects me with my home, sometimes it needs a little extra weeding and care and sometimes it is flourishing and strong but there is always joy there.
As a work from home mummy writer I really resonated with this post 🙂 And I love what you write about a quiet mind, I am definitely taking some of this post with me to day XX
April 2, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Thanks Bek. I am glad! 🙂 x
April 2, 2013 at 1:40 pm
I have one drawer that looks like yours and another one super tidy! Hmm… I wonder what does that say about my personality?
April 2, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Now I am worried Rita 😉 JJ.
xx
April 2, 2013 at 1:45 pm
ALL my drawers and cupboards are totally chaotic. I have pretty much given up on it until the kids leave home. It use to bother me and I would organise them but for now I’ve just excepted it and feel a lot more relaxed about it.
April 2, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Acceptance is the key to chaos! I like your style 🙂 x
April 2, 2013 at 2:21 pm
I almost do a song and dance when my cutlery drawer is tidy! Alas, that doesn’t happen very often these days. But I think my cupboard of clothes is indication of how my mind is. Cluttered, no priority of winter or summer clothes, everything is everywhere. And somehow, I still manage to dress myself every day 🙂
April 2, 2013 at 3:29 pm
I love it Grace. Who needs priority of clothes anyway?! I am sure you always look smashing, whatever the state of your wardrobe. xx
April 2, 2013 at 2:27 pm
My whole house is like your cutlery draw. Everything just thrown in together, making you dig around when you need to find something. Sigh. My mum, a domestic goddess no less, was telling me the other day how my house is full of so much negative energy because the state of is disorder
April 2, 2013 at 3:29 pm
I think my mum probably thinks something similar about my place 🙂
April 2, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Zanni – I love this and I love your blog! I’m going exploring more and have shared your beautiful post about growing kids (I love trees). Thank you so much for visiting my blog – I’m new to IBOT and pretty new to blogging and it is wonderful to make connections. I also read your post about the past, and guess what – we share the same birthday! (I have a few years on you being 44 aghh). I hope we can stay connected and I’d love your thoughts on the meditation videos I’ve done up for kids….cheers..kathy
April 2, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Wow, thank you Kathy. It is so lovely to meet you too! And welcome to IBOT. It’s a great community. Thank you so much for sharing my post about growing children. I still think it’s one of my favourites. I will be very interested to look at your meditation videos for children. Beautiful xx
April 2, 2013 at 5:39 pm
Oh so many good things to think about in this post – I am juggling more of the crazy than not at the moment, so I guess my unattended, ever growing ironing pile best describes me. I have three cutlery drawers and it drives me crazy when they are disorganised – but the ironing pile – doesn’t seem to bother me. Who knows what all that means? Hope the house situation gets better slowly – can’t wait to see finished pics of order and everything in place xx
April 2, 2013 at 6:18 pm
Zanni, i love how you just get on with it! Sometimes we do have to live through the chaos don’t we?
My studio where I make my jewellery looks like an absolute disaster, but I know where every bead and work-in-progress is. 🙂
April 2, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Sounds like perfect chaos Lisa. I didn’t know you made jewellery! x
April 2, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Yep, that’s my cutlery drawer too. My floor is a great indicator of my mood / feelings about my house. When it is clean / vacuumed / mopped I am happy. When it is dirty I feel like the whole house is a pigsty (even if it isn’t) and I feel cranky and out of control Fortunately hubster has worked me out and knows when to get the vacuum out!!!!
April 2, 2013 at 8:14 pm
I like that. Wise man 🙂
April 2, 2013 at 7:52 pm
I have a drawer like that, and on top of my microwave is even worse, I just stack things up until they fall off and I have to deal with them, or I can’t find what I’m looking for!! Naughty me xx Em
April 2, 2013 at 8:14 pm
🙂
April 2, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Oh your cuttlery drawer and my Tupperware drawer should meet over coffee!! My life is too busy for neat drawers, and as long as visitors give 10 mins shove-out-of-the-way pre-warning I usually get by …. much to my mother’s ongoing disappointment. x
April 2, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Our mothers need to meet over coffee too! xx
April 3, 2013 at 3:33 pm
At least you have a drawer. We moved 3 countries in three years, and still not yet settled. Right now I only have around 12 pairs of cutlery X_X
April 3, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Our second drawer looks like that. I feel like my bed best describes me – it calls me every single day !!! Sometimes it is all messy and untidy and unmade, other days it is nicely made up and looks like it is all together !!!
Have the best week !
Me
#IBOT visitor