Water problems continued this week, but so did the moderate weather.
The 52-week mark is in sight now, and I’m just a bit concerned that I haven’t accomplished as much as I had hoped in this year of decluttering and simplifying, but there’s still an autumn and a bit of winter before I end this push in December.
This week, the leaky faucet got on my nerves. I couldn’t hear the drip since the basin it drips into is plastic, but every time I saw it and the stain in the basin it was causing, I remembered that I had to deal with it.
On Thursday afternoon, the faucet took control of the situation. It began leaking so badly around its fittings that I had to turn it off at its cut-off valve and take action.
We managed with just the bathtub faucet Thursday night and Friday morning, then while we were out Friday, we bought a simple $10 faucet and a $5 wrench specifically designed for getting the old one off more easily. I kept rehearsing in my mind on the way home Friday night how I was going to get the old one off and a new one on, and I knew I wouldn’t sleep if I didn’t make an attempt as soon as got home.
At about 11 p.m. Friday night — with the fancy new wrench in hand — I successfully changed out the faucet, something I had never done before. It was simple, actually, and we saved a bundle over calling a plumber. (The basin is badly stained and damaged, but I don’t have the budget or patience to replace it now, so it will have to do for a while longer. I did manage to thoroughly clean it, though.)
Decluttering moves forward in very small doses. Today, I managed to empty a small box in the kitchen that’s been bothering me for weeks. Other than a label printer for my bookselling business that I’m not using at the moment, it didn’t contain anything useful. The remaining items — books and CDs mostly — are now dealt with and eliminated. And the day isn’t over.
I’m calling it a successful week for the simplifying and decluttering project since I once again learned how to do something I didn’t know how to do before. That makes me better equipped for a simple life that I hope will ultimately be free of repairmen.
I’m hoping for more stuff out the door next week. We’ll see.
Gip Plaster is a web content writer. Previously a journalist, online bookseller and even a corporate advertising guy, Gip now specialize in writing high-quality content for websites — his and other people’s. Learn more here.
There is always problems with the house some how Gip. We just have to deal with what comes.
That’s right, Dia. I almost feel guilty mentioning these little things here because I don’t like to dwell on them, but I promised myself and my readers I would post about whatever is occupying my time each week and either contributing to my decluttering and simplifying or working against it.
I have a list of other things that are wrong around here, but that’s for another day…
Gip
Isn’t it interesting how we so often wait until a problem gets really bad before we address it? Then we have to deal with it, convenient or not.
Really good lesson here – not just a little thing!
You’re right, Jess. Life seems to prioritize itself sometimes, whether we like it or not.
Thanks for commenting, as always.
Gip
Hey Gip. I think you might be too hard on yourself for not getting as far as you liked. You 1) learned something new 2) still got stuff done and 3) you’ve been pretty damn consistent for 40 weeks. I can relate to what you’re saying about how decluttering moves in small doses. Even though I don’t have my own house and therefore a lot less stuff, sometimes it just takes longer than I would think too.
Anyway, keep up the weekly decluttering … you’re on the backstretch to a full 52 weeks.
Yes, I’m glad I’ve been consistent enough to make it this far. Thanks for commenting!
Gip