There are two types of people in the world, the savers and the tossers. There’s one in each relationship. I’m a tosser married to a saver and our battleground is the study.

Really, it’s a thing.

Read on….

Every soldier is recognized for his contributions to each command they have worked in with many framed mementos, some small and some enormous (think a framed flag).

These mementos carry emotional attachments. As a result, in my household, there has not been any streamlining of these gifts. 

Each one has a special meaning to my husband.  

Many years ago, when unpacking these items for the millionth time, I tossed anything that was even slightly damaged.

It came back to haunt me.

My husband asked where a certain item was. 

Since then, I haven’t tossed anything of his. 

Instead, I chose a different route. 

I decided to put everything up on the wall, floor to ceiling.  It took me days. 

There was an inch between each item. It looked ridiculous. It was a rainbow of colors.

There were framed flags, swords, microscopes, dragons, eagles, bells, clocks, you name it, it was on the wall or on top of some surface in the study.

My thought was he would realize how much he had and HATE the way it looked. 

I WAS WRONG! HE LOVED IT.

We still have every item he ever received.

So, here I am, having just moved for the 16th time, arriving on a Saturday and my husband starting work on the following Monday.

I became the sole unpacker, faced with the study again.

I told myself I was not going to touch anything in the study and leave it to him. But I passed by the study every time I left my room in the morning. 

It’s like the study was taunting me. “Come in! Come in! Let’s unpack!”

So, I decided just to get everything unboxed. I did and left it for a week or so. 

Last week, I called a friend over, and we hung 6 large, framed mementos.  A couple of days later, I hung 6 more.

The walls are full, and the floor is still packed. I asked my husband if he wanted to choose a few items he wanted on the wall.

His response, ’Just close the door.’ 

Why can’t I do that?

It’s taken me a while to figure out that all the chaos and uncertainty of each move makes me crave order and organization.

So, I wish I could say I can shut the door, but I can’t. I’m taking the study much slower this time and I’m only putting up a few things.

Now, to figure out where to hide all the stuff left on the floor. Should I line the garage walls with it???

Signed,

Losing the Study Battle…Again

*For more from Laura, visit her M:M Author Page.