I was off to a good start last week, but it only lasted a few days before I stopped forcing myself to do a little clean-up before hitting the couch with the TV / book / laptop.

Tonight I decided to pick it back up again with a little multi-tasking. I went through a small pile-up of mail while catching up with some shows on the DVR. (Yes, watching TV is being productive, too. I was almost out of recording space!)

After that pile was done, I decided to do something a little more drastic. There has been a milk crate sitting in my living room for a few months now. I used the crate for Iron Girl (at the end of August!) to carry my gear and organize my transition space.

Once it came back into the house, it wasn’t entirely emptied. And then it began to collect magazines, mail, paperwork, etc. Topping the crate was a large straw hat that I’m pretty sure has been there since I returned from Virginia Beach (Labor Day weekend). Actually, one of my clean-up tasks from last week was to unpack a small duffle bag that also accompanied me on that trip!

Yeah, I’m really bad about putting things away.

Anyway, I finished sorting through everything in the crate. I also got through most of the pile on the coffee table. Only now I seem to have a bigger mess than what I started with!

There was some trash and a lot of recycling, but the “keep” pile is still a pretty big stack on the couch. I should be able to take care of at least part of it before going to bed. Books, magazines and random “stuff” can be put away, leaving the filing for another day.

I am not looking forward to that day, but it’s going to have to happen sometime soon. Paperwork is taking over my house!