A Tale of Dust and a (Minor) Renovation

Don't you just love titles?  So what could this one possible mean?  Could it be that I am actually dusting? Well, yes.  In a way.  Actually, it's a by-product of a frustration with our family room.  Somehow over the last few years it has become a repository of stuff.  Yes, that's the word--stuff!  And it's not been pretty.  Yesterday when I climbed off the NordicTrack, I took a real look around and I definitely didn't like what I saw.  I finally made myself really look and that's when I decided IT WAS TIME.  I definitely needed to ponder the situation and so my plan of action did not kick in until this afternoon. (I had a haircut appointment and a shop staff meeting this morning.)  

So, armed with several dust clothes and my trusty can of Pledge, I descended the stairs to the basement at two o'clock and began.  First to the TV area.  Piles of DVD's and VCR tapes (yes, we are so backwards as to not have a DVR as yet) awaited me.  There has been some activity in that area of late as we finally got a wall mount installed for our TV thanks to Eric, Cameron and Keaton, who put it up over Christmas.  There had been shelves on the wall before with a space for the old style "fat behind" type of TV, but as we all know, they've "gone the way" for the most part and the space definitely wouldn't work for our larger flat screen model.  Dan had worked hard repairing the wall after removing the shelves and then we sort of dropped the ball, except for purchasing said TV mount. Which sat on the floor in its box.  Along with the TV (actually it sat on a stool--for two years).  Anyway, I digress. 

Back to dust.  Yes, there was dust on the counter below the TV along with those DVD's and tapes.  My plan is to somehow use the counter for scrapbooking.  I lost my perfect scrapbooking area when Dan "retired" and began his consulting business.  Across the family room from the TV area was another much longer counter with drawers below and shelves above.  It worked perfectly for spreading out my pictures, albums and all the paper and trims I used.  Plus, the computer was right there, too, to be used for the journaling to accompany the photos. But, it became Dan's office and it has worked well for him. Except it is one more thing to detract from the room's "family room" purpose.  And so, things just started piling up.  And up.  

BUT!  I have taken action!  The dusting led (as I knew it would) to sorting of piles elsewhere.  Where, oh where, could I store my scrapbooking things and still have ready access to them?  Aha!  The wooden chest we use for a coffee table.  What could possibly be in it?  Well, I'll tell you.  Calendars.  Forty years of them. Records of baby teeth, first words, dentist appointments, school conferences, birthdays and special events.  Time out for a trip down memory lane.  They had to be saved.  A new home will be found for them, and quite a bit of my scrapbooking supplies fit into the chest.  

And so, I moved around the room, moving, sorting, and piling.  I'll soon be back down there, doing more.  I needed a break and here I am.  I am started, however, and I will not be stopped until I have succeeded in reclaiming this lovely room to be more than an office and a TV.  Stay tuned.  ♥