My 1, 3, and 5 year goal

  People talk in terms of goals.  What are your 1, 3, or your 5 year goals, they'll ask.  If you actually have some type of plan in place, you can answer with confidence.  If your like most, you sheepishly sputter out what you've been planning to do.

  Oh sure, all the usuals stay the same,  be more patient, be more loving...blah, blah, blah.  I have 1 goal that is always constant.  Conquer the clutter that is called the basement.  Every 5 years, I renew that vision and tell myself...This is the year!   Every now and again I muster up unstoppable energy and purge.  That is when my children become a little more suspicious and guard their possessions with tenacity.  I can imagine the garbage men and what they may be saying.  That's when I hide behind the curtain and watch from the window as they go by.

  Many years ago, in preparation for a move, I neatly stacked boxes on my curb for next day pick up.  The local vagrant wandered by and began to look and sort through things in search of some treasure.  I panicked...I envisioned what would become of my stacks....I wandered out and asked in my nicest voice, " when your done can you close everything up?"   When all was said and done..if looked as if the am vets vomited all over the curb in the front of my house.  I tried to compose my boxes to no avail and watched as the pick up driver slowed down, made a call then drove away....without my stuff.

  Is almost time for another cleaning....(sigh) ....one day I will reach my goal.   Someday I will have neatly ordered shelves and a basement to be envied.  Until then, I will try not to shake my fist at the Container Store as it shouts out it's haughty condemnation.  I will stay far away from the Martha Stewart's and the Keep it Simples at the checkout.....I will be content with progress and not perfection.