Air Supply. Lemon water on a coaster beside your bed. Playing Word Warp on your iPhone. When you can imagine a descending escalator, each step falling into the next as you go lower and lower, deeper into sleep. Imaging yourself in your childhood bed, listening to the sounds of your house, trying to remember falling asleep as a child.
When your linen closet is neatly appointed, with labels indicating which are the Euro shams; sheet sets strung together with a satin bow, and yes, when your sheets and pillowcases are ironed.
When your glue gun has done its job, fixing that loose plank in the bottom drawer–nope, not a euphemism for sex.
When your bathroom has spare rolls of toilet paper… in the actual bathroom, in a wicker bin, on a shelf, just not in the garage.
When your guest room has stacks of clean towels, perfectly folded, even a dark washcloth embroidered with the word "MAKEUP."
Exhaust yourself. Who needs a treadmill when there’s a broom closet with which to be reckoned. Imagine if your mop looked clean? If your broom didn’t have hair and dust bunnies? If it were actually clean in there? Makes you want to cuddle in white sheets doesn’t it?
When all your hard drives, speakers, chargers, and laptops are outside your bedroom, their wires each labeled and wound.
When your books are organized by subject and size; your desktop free of random downloads and unused icons; every last puzzle piece is in the correct box.
When you know you have laundry detergent, oxy clean, and a place to hang things, a neat and tidy laundry room, with clothes pins, and an iron at the ready.
When your washcloths are all rolled and set in a truffle dish, beside your favorite liquid soap. When your nails are manicured and moisturized, your teeth are bleached, and your face is medicated with anti-everything creme.
When your pantry and spice rack are organized, labeled, and fully stocked with baking supplies, cans of tomatoes, potato flakes (for crusting fish), pastas, aborio rice, basmati, semi-sweet chocolate. Knowing your refrigerator has been wiped free of spills, that your bar is fully loaded with the ability to make at least one impressive cocktail at any given moment.
When you know you’ve an appointed travel toiletry kit, fully loaded and already sitting in a suitcase, duplicating all your must have items: complete with travel sizes of Alleve, Excedrin, Pamprin, Q-Tips, cuticle clipper, nail polish remover pads, clear polish, a nail file, tweezers, waterproof mascara, toothbrush, paste, and floss, your go-to deoderant, hair gel, and three extra party supplies (aka tampons).
I feel most at ease when I know everything is in its place. While I know that everything I need will come to me when I need it, that I don’t need to live in a state of over-abundance, I’m still comforted by possibilities. I like knowing that if I want, I can whip up a lemon tart, or at least stir up some cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I’m comforted by what’s possible, what’s available without having to leave my home.
I can go to sleep when I feel ready. I don’t have to know for what, just that I’ll be ready for whatever comes my way.
A YEAR AGO: Fear of Contradicting Yourself
2 YEARS AGO: Hi, My Name is Stephanie Klein, And I’m a Scrapbooker
5 YEARS AGO: Restraint
