No analogies. I really mean, many pencil sharpeners…
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed a pencil sharpener over the past few years. Loads. My paintings need a lot of quick sketching and I’m hard on pencils. It felt like there was never a pencil sharpener, or pencil, come to think of it, in this house when I needed one. Till now.
In case you’re in need when you visit me they’re lined up next to the cook books in the kitchen. Yes, did you notice the ‘they’. I lost my new debit card recently and went on the hunt, clutter clearing along the way, only to find all my pencils (I lose those too) and pencil sharpeners.
Finding many things is what happens when I get stuck into clutter clearing. At least now the house has a much better feel and when I need to sketch next I know exactly where all my pencils and pencil sharpeners are (I only laid them on the floor for effect in the pic.. they’re not really kept on the floor, they do have their own homes now).
Ahh, no, I didn’t find the card and had to cancel it only for it to fall out a week later when I picked a couple of magazines up from the kitchen table. It must have arrived and I put it under one out of sight and promptly forgot.. oops..
How often do you go looking for one thing and find many others, only to find the thing you were originally looking for, later when you weren’t looking for it?
Sounds like the story of my life when said like that!
lynnelives 
Last time I did a thorough cleaning I found 20 notebooks (the paper variety), most of which were completely blank. Score! Almost as satisfying as finding all those pencil sharpeners!
ooh I do have lots of notebooks but most are partially filled. Finding 20 blank ones would be very satisfying.
Living with a clutter hater is a blessing in disguise. I am a hoarder by nature but with a weekly tidy up and putting things back in their places gives me the opportunity to start with a clean studio and mind. I am still using the sharpener I got 25 years ago.
You have places for things? WOW.. now that’s an idea!! 😉
Sounds like what I would find in one of my kitchen draws. Go looking for a pen and find loads of packs of blu-tak or something.
It’s weird what we keep buying because we think we’ve run out then can’t find it when we need it so buy more.. hmm..
Pens and teaspoons and the things that keep going missing in our house. No matter how many pens I have, when I need one, I can’t for the life of me find one and if I do, it doesn’t work! I’d love to re-find a stash like you just have.
As for teaspoons, I just think we have a teaspoon eating monster in the house.
If you look for something else and do a clutter clear you might find the stash! Thanks for reminding me of my teaspoon disappearing story.. One day it’ll get written.. Maybe your stash is here as I have quite a few. I’m with you on the pens though..
I love this piece! This is my system: no matter what item is lost, I start cleaning–no matter how unrelated the cleaned area might seem–and I inevitably find what I am looking for. Not always immediately, and only if I keep a cool head–but “clutter clearing” always nets me my own “sharpeners”. Charming write. 🙂
Thanks! When I’m ‘with’ ‘it’ I might ask the universe then forget and find it pretty soon after. This time I actually looked for it but got distracted.. hmm.. something I can do well..and found many other things.
I’m a hoarder, as well as a compusive tidier. I’m forever finding packets of tea or cereal or spaghetti that I didn’t realise we had when I ordered them. I’m usually pretty good at locating misplaced items by visualising where I last saw him. I’ve become an expert at locating items mislaid by my children. However, we are missing one brandnew toothbrush (still in its packet), a remote control for the telly, and a pair of tweezers that cannot be found. That last item is particularly intriguing as I took it in the car (I like to tidy up my eyebrows in the beauty mirror in the passenger seat sunshield… it’s the perfect angle!) and put it down… and it hasn’t been seen since. We have turned the car inside out (within reason–it’s only a pair of tweezers after all) but they cannot be found. Maybe the next owner will find them… hehehe. Lovely post, Lynn, as always! X
Thanks Nicky.. OOh imagine finding a pair of tweezers in your car that aren’t yours….
I visualise all the time but am better asking for something to become visible.. I’m sure things *hide* from us.
A hoarder who’s compulsively tidying.. now there’s an image.. xx
I’m a woman of contradictions, me…. LOL!