Something we don't really think about planning for – but should. Yesterday I pulled a muscle in the back of my left shin – OW! I have done this before and it goes away so I (and my poor husband) are just putting up with it for now.
I figured out the least painful – and safest – way for me to go up and down the stairs. It happened on the steps outside our back door on our trip out for lunch – so I was walking about in stores for awhile before I had to deal with the steps again. I need to keep my left leg straight as much as possible to avoid pain. I never realized that there are so many things I do which I never think of as I do them.
Apparently my left leg cannot be higher than my right leg – by which I mean – on the stairs I have to step up with my right leg and then pull the left one up to the same step -repeat. Coming down the stairs I have to step down with my left leg and then with my right leg. Basically if my legs are different steps my right leg has to be the one higher up. When I forget – I am quickly reminded by the pain.
When sitting in the house I put my left leg up on something – in the kitchen I use the single step that I keep under the table so I can climb up and reach the higher shelves in the top cabinets (meaning anything above the bottom shelf). Convenient to rest my left leg on – and since the step is at back end of the table (a couple of feet from where I am sitting) when I put my foot on it my leg is more or less straight on a slight downward angle – perfect for my leg. (I am at the table as I write.) When at my desk I have a file box stored under under it which serves the same purpose. That leaves the car and our lunch out today as the problems – I tried to keep my leg in the air as much as I could.
But how does this relate to organizing?
Well, it is laundry night. Main laundry has to come down 2 flights of stairs to the basement from the hall closet outside of our bedroom. I always tie the laundry bag closed and give them a shove down these stairs – so that was relatively easy. I cannot do this with our basement stairs as there is a display of electric trains cars across from the foot of the steps – maybe 2 feet from the bottom step – and I don't want to damage them. I was planning to ask my husband to carry the bag down for me – but being the nice person he is he figured out the problem and offered to carry the bag downstairs. The bag for our downstairs laundry (towels from kitchen and downstairs bathroom only – unless we use a tablecloth or fabric napkins due to a holiday and that I could carry down the stairs and did.
First load of laundry (clothing) is now in the dryer and second load (towels and laundry bags) is in the washer. Later when he comes downstairs for late night/pre-bed snack I will ask him to carry the laundry basket down for me. I will empty the dryer into the laundry basket and throw the second load in the dryer – it will stay there until tomorrow anyway after it finishes running and hopefully I will be better by then. I fold the laundry in bed while he is getting ready for bed (and usually a bit after in the dark by the light of the TV) so that is not a problem.
I know that I often read about how important it is to have one's family throw the laundry in “the hamper”. I don't use a hamper – I hang our big laundry bag at the bottom of the closet – 3 hooks in the closet and 3 rings on the laundry bag which line up with them and hold the bag up and open. This holds dirty clothes, towels, bedding and anything else. When time for laundry take the rings off the hooks, pull the bag closed - go to top of staircase to ground floor of house and - - push ! Gravity takes the bag down the stairs. Any laundry which goes into closet before the bag is replaced, I just pick up and toss in when I put the bag back. Downstairs I have a smaller laundry bag hanging on a hook on the basement side of the door to the basement. Just take it down and carry the relatively light bag when I go down to put the first load in the dryer and start this load. Laundry bags both go in the second load.
Sheets and pillowcases are their own load when I wash them, as are blankets. Some weeks I need to wash reenacting clothing also – and they can be one or two loads depending on if I only need to the “small clothes” - that is the period undergarments, socks, neck cloths and cap, depending on if all need washing or if there are main clothing items which also need to be laundered.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
Sometimes things happen – whether an injury, an illness, not being able to do a chore on the day it is normally done (such as being away or involved in a problem which arises), or a myriad of other things which throws one work schedule off or makes it harder to deal with or equipment needed dies. One should have some idea of alternatives (do the laundry the next day or have someone else do it if you can, get help and so on) that can be used in these situations. Or one has to learn to think quickly on their feet to deal with things.
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