Clean Off The Desk

I believe there are at least two “Clean off your Desk” unofficial holidays each year. Today is one of them. I try to celebrate them; at least that is my intent.

I’d like to develop better “desk hygiene” so the chore wouldn’t seem so unappealing. It’s not that I’m unmotivated to clean off the desk; I love the aesthetics of a clean, uncluttered desk. A clean desk provides more space to perform small tasks, reflect upon life, and write. The desk is where I spend much of each day. The den/music room is a small, repurposed bedroom at the front of my tiny house. The desk has been placed facing the window with a view to the street.

Sometimes I feel like the captain of the neighborhood while sitting at the desk. People drive, jog, walk their dogs, or meander down the street. Lawn animals frolic in the yards within my view. Common songbirds briefly appear in search of food. There are many mundane and surprising things to observe from my “command center”–the desk.

The desktop is an ideal surface to change watchstraps or tinker with the innards of mechanical alarm clocks. I enjoy polishing small metal artifacts like brass vases or crystal knick knacks. Basic polishing compounds and cloths are stored nearby for convenience sake.

There are moments when I am inspired to clear everything off of the desk in the minimalist fashion. I’ve tried it several times, but the completely uncluttered look doesn’t last more than a day or two. In my case, a totally cleared off desk is a sterile environment that feels hostile to my lifestyle of tinkering with small things.

I cannot imagine living without a personal desk because the desk-using lifestyle was taught to me from childhood. I had a student desk that I parked beneath the basement staircase of the family home. There was a high intensity lamp that illuminated the working surface of the desk. I kept my sketchpads nearby. A Smith-Corona-Marchant typewriter was ready for book reports and homework assignments. Most of my scale model cars were assembled at this desk, too.

Meanwhile, I’ve probably procrastinated long enough. It’s time to clear the desktop, wipe off the dust, and apply polish. The desk will look prim and proper for another day or two. That’s really good enough to keep me happy for awhile.

Ciao

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes Stephen King. “Put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room.”