Sunday, January 07, 2018

Angela Gets a Clone

Did I mention I had ladies come who decorated the Living Room Christmas Tree and all the mantles? It was the best.

But they only put up. They don't take down. And I was a tad-bit overwhelmed at how the take-down/storing/storage space would all go. My designer mentioned she knew someone who helped take down Christmas (seriously -- a niche for everything!).

When I gave Ruth a call, she clarified that she was actually a Personal Organizer. Not a "Christmas taker-downer." But after we talked and she realized I was looking for assistance in how to organize it (and that I was a very organized person to begin with) in addition to taking down, she was more than happy to help!

She came for a consult and recommended a number of bins and told me where to get them and what size.

And then...
And then...

She sent me an e-mail with numbered instructions of exactly what I needed to purchase and LINKS of where to purchase them!

It was the most glorious e-mail I've ever received in my whole life! Someone who did my work for me! Someone who did what I often do for other people and yet those people don't actually read the entire e-mail or appreciate my help or suggestions! (So many people but I won't name names here in this public site. But soooo many people! ;-))

She was a me and that's just what I needed. Two of me to help me clean up Christmas.

I ordered the bins and the bubble wrap and even the bubble pockets (which got lost, probably tossed, in the Christmas shuffle. I felt so sorry I let her down but she didn't even act disappointed). And then she expertly got us started on the mantles and then the entry garland and finally the Christmas Tree.

I had already taken down everything else, but I was so glad to have the size of bins she recommended. They could hold all the extra tall things that usually don't fit.

It only took us 2 hours with only the tree itself left. She brought her label maker and we got everything professionally labeled. She even asked if I wanted all caps or just title caps! (Thinking of everything!)

She offered to help me carry the bins to their place in the storage room. But I had a secret plan but wanted to try it out myself without anyone else's input. (Ruth was awesome, but I wasn't quite sure how far to trust her. If my plan didn't work, I didn't want to ask her to try another plan with me.)

This was the plan -- to use all the extra storage space at the tippy top of the chair storage closet. The space that has been taunting me because it's empty. Too high to put anything I want to access with ease. But I hated WASTING it! Also... under the stairs seemed like a waste to have that be empty as well.  But what would I actually want to put back there?

Well the bins fit perfectly! EXACTLY the right amount of room to fit two tall and two deep. In the top of the closet AND under the stairs. It was almost too good to be true. And then the biggest test of all... I rolled the Christmas tree in... undecorated and broken into three parts, but still... rolled it on it's wheels right into the closet. As easy as could be. Almost as if I'd planned it while we were building the house. But I didn't! It just worked out that way!

My Christmas just keeps getting better and better! And it ended 2 weeks ago!


These photos don't do the amazingness justice. But when you're here next time, ask to see.
It's my own Christmas miracle.


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