Love Seat

do you want my love seat?

That was last Sunday's text from my friend, Bee. She just moved to Santa Monica. Turns out, her love seat didn't fit through the guest bedroom door frame.

oooooh. i have no way to get it and no place to put it yet. thanks for the offer though.

I know, I know. But, really, it's one excuse and one very valid reason.

Two days later - you sure you don't want the loveseat?

Two days after that - okay, i'll take it

My apartment only has two places to fit a love seat - the short interior wall/corner nook where my computer desk is or the longer exterior wall where my bookcase, chest of drawers and rolling clothes rack reside. I had to decide which was the path of least clutter.

For thirteen years, I imagined that interior wall space would someday be a cozy nook with a sectional or sofa and chair or even my dad's rocking chair. Instead, I filled it with boxes and bins, carts of cassettes and computer-related stuff. Out of sight, out of mind - put a computer desk over it! It was so easy to stack stuff under the desk - unwanted items, "I'll take care of that later" items, "What the hell do I do with this" items.

On Saturday morning, I took apart my computer desk. Wow! WTF?! I started to panic, feel overwhelmed and immediately thought to call Bee and decline the love seat. It was too much - too much stuff, too much for me to handle, too much. I stopped for a minute, sat down and looked around. What can reasonably be done here? What do I have and where can it go? I stared at the wall for a long time. The rolling clothes rack had to go. That was it. For the time being, I needed enough room to get the love seat into my apartment; its permanent place would be decided later.

Once the love seat was in, I got to work - moved the clothes from the rolling rack to the closet or into drawers, bagged up more clothes to donate, tossed out a few pairs of shoes and extra clothes hangers. I took the rolling rack apart, immediately taking those pieces down to the dumpster. There will be no clothing rack in my living room! I righted the love seat, pushed it against the wall and smiled.

This love seat is the first piece of furniture I've had in this apartment. I've always had clutter. It's not the cozy nook I imagined. But, it's a start.