Some days ago I was in a grumpy busy bee mood. Quite unusual, but it can happen.
Ask beekeepers and they'll tell you that their bees - normally nice perky bees - can get grumpy and even feisty suddenly. Why ?
Either because they are too thirsty, or too hot in the hive, or weather affected (Bees know when a storm is on its way).
Anyway, nothing to do with the reason for my anger, but I prefer to let it fall off and let you know in another episode.
Yet, I'm sure most of you have already experienced that kind of anger that makes you feel like you could smash something or someone (our inner warmonger).
How do you deal with that ? Do you exercise and sweat it out, do you let music soothe you, do you sit cross-legged in the Lotus position, or do you just let your anger boil over and scream your head off ?
As far as I am concerned, whenever something wrong hijacks my good mood and triggers angry feelings, my favourite way to let steam off and pull myself together is to declutter !
Strange, isn't it ? But sorting out, throwing away and so, turn a messy spot into a spick and span place calms me down.
Um,...when I see all the stuff I have been hoarding since we settled down here, I wish I got angry more often.
Well, anyway, last week to tame my stormy temper, I decided to take it out on my pet peeve : a huge cupboard crammed with energy and time saving kitchen gadgets,or,to be honest, with money and space wasters which never met my expectations, and are now taking it easy in the Cupboard Of Shame. When I look on the bright side of things, I call it my Aladdin's Cave, but last week I was not in the mood...
So, there I was, standing at 'The Gates of Hell ', armed with my " give away/put away/throw away " boxes , ready to conquer my mess.
Unfortunately, hardly had I opened the door of the damn place when I realized I was about to tackle a mammoth task !
Then, I decided to break down the decluttering process into manageable chunks.
Cleaning a single shelf should be enough to turn the bundle of nerves I was into a gentle lamb !
A few seconds later, perched on my stepladder, I was ready to take up a challenge I named The Top Shelf Challenge.
Nothing to do with The Ice Bucket Challenge, but yet some common points...
Let me explain.
The Ice Bucket Challenge is " an activity to promote awareness of the Amiotrophic Lateral Disease (ALD , known in the US as Lou Gehrig's Disease and in France as Charcot's Disease).
The Top Shelf Challenge is an activity to raise awareness of a new kind of disease, too. Of course, way less serious and painful, but anyway worth knowing about, I mean : overconsumption and one of its awful side effects , impulse buying !
According to a recent survey carried out in many different countries, an increasing number of people suffer from that momentary thriller, that ruiner of budgets, while others say they have felt the symptoms at least once or twice. You know, purchasing something because it looked so good in the shop, and, once back home, feeling guilty and angry cause no use of it !
A lot of them also confessed that the only efficient 'painkiller' they have found up to now to forget their 'off moments' is to keep their impulse purchase out of sight. As the saying goes , out of sight out of mind !
Then, all agreed to say that the best rarely-checked and never-combed hiding place is the Top Shelf of a cupboard or a closet.
They even added that no matter how big the place where you live is, there is always a Top Shelf turned into a cemetery of brand-new shoes a bit too tight and thus worn just once, dry-clean-only woollies or weird kitchen gizmos ( Jeez, they must know me !!).
Getting interested in The Top Shelf Challenge ? Well, let's go a bit further and have a look at the second common point of both challenges.
What does The Ice Bucket Challenge consist in ?
Well, in throwing a bucket of ice water on your head to encourage donations to research for ASL disease.Daring, isn't it ?
Don't worry, taking up The Top Shelf Challenge does not mean freezing your head and turning into an ice-cream bar !! Nope !
But yet, throwing is part of the challenge and it encourages donation, as well !
I mean, once climbed on your stepladder (warning : rickety stools absolutely forbidden !), peer into that dim, clutter-shelter place , furniture makers call the Top Shelf.
Now, you've got 10 minutes to throw 3 never-loved or never-used things into a give away box.
Sure, there'll be somebody among your relatives or friends who will feel like getting your so long hidden treasures. Otherwise, you can donate them to a nearby charity.
So, ready for The Top Shelf Challenge ?
Oops, I was about to forget. Participants in The Ice Bucket Challenge were asked to shoot a video of themselves pouring the bucket on their heads ( you can see a lot of them , some very famous, on Youtube).
Well, why not take photos of your give away box and send them to perkybusybee@gmail.com, or post them on the Facebook page I have just created to welcome all of you. Just enter :
The TOP SHELF Challenge
In the meantime, look at my 3 photos ! My clay chicken roaster and my soda water maker have already been adopted.
As for the third one, I don't know what it is, so difficult to promote it ...
By the way, for the record, a cousin of mine took the clay chicken roaster, but when she came back home, her husband told her they had already bought one years ago and eventually shelved it !!
Cut to the quick, she replied that, whatever the pot, she would never be a chef , but that she would turn the 'new comer' into a flowerbox !!
A great way to promote second life of objects,isn't it ?
Now roll up your sleeves and take up The Top Shelf Challenge !!
