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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Missing in Action: The Problem, The Cure

I guess I've been Missing in Action. Not really, of course, but my poor little diminished blog! A busy and stressful year, but no more than usual.

Lately, I've been plagued by objects Missing in Action.

To wit: before we went to Florida to visit my mother, I searched for my favorite long-wear-over-leggings tank top (my MOST worn item on trips) and couldn't find it. Still can't. OK, it's all pilly I admit, but the closest thing I've been able to find is a long Eileen Fisher tank. Can you imagine if I also lost that after spending $148 on it?

Then, Miss Em and I helped my organized shopaholic mother clear out her excess, to the tune of 15 handbags. UGH. I packed them up and will bring to consignment for my mom. One I planned to keep was a black Coach bag. When I got home, it was nowhere to be found, though the ugly ones were all present. Where is it?

Then, En route to meeting up with her back to school ride, Miss Em and I stopped at Walgreens for some OTC meds. We bought one mistakenly, so I said I'd return it today. I thought I put it in my purse with the receipt. the receipt is there, but the meds are not. Did they fall off my lap at the drop-off point?

I know this is an affliction of middle age. I used to have an excellent memory, with some photographic capacity, so I could find anything. No more.

The cure, I'm afraid is the usual. Decluttering.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for dealing with the affliction of objects Missing in Action? Advice appreciated.

5 comments:

Shelley said...

Gretchen Rubin at the Happiness Project says that when one cannot find something, begin tidying. Bill spends a month of each year of his life trying to find things he's misplaced. Important things like keys, passports, insurance papers. I make a few suggestions then leave him to it. I can't tidy his space for him. The combination of my own panic when I lose things and watching him search and search has helped a lot toward getting willing to downsize my stash. I beginning to see that life is too short to spend hunting in anguish and much of my stuff has become a source of frustration rather than pleasure. Good luck with your hunting...and your uncluttering!

Duchesse said...

The obvious tactic is to cepla things you have in the same spot every time, like Shelley says, a box for important papers, a little basket or hook for keys. But there will always be some Mysterious Disappearances, like the black bag and the meds. Sorry- might turn up yet. (Le Duc lost his wedding ring, looked everywhere and it turned up years later wedged inside a picnic basket!)

And when a pilly tank vanishes it is a message from the Universe to get a new one... maybe not EF but a new one.

Duchesse said...

"Cepla" is not a word I have just coined, but a typo- I think- for "replace".

SewingLibrarian said...

Welcome back, FS! Your topic resonates with me this week. I am decluttering and organizing my sewing studio. When I "lost" two pieces of fabric that I knew I had, it was time to take action. I found the fabric, and everything looks so much neater now.
My other project this week is one I must share with you because I thought of you when I bought it. I found a gorgeous camel-colored wool overcoat at the Goodwill, and I'm altering it a little to fit. It was $30. I never have any luck at thrifting, but this time I did. My DD and I are going East for a week next month, and I need something warm to wear. The really odd thing is that the donor had put the original receipt in a coat pocket. Thus I know that the coat was sold in Dayton, Ohio in 1983 (I was living there then) in a store that my friend later managed, and that it cost $395 new. How's that for good karma!
I hope you find the Coach bag. The old ones are so much nicer than the new ones.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Shelley--Even though I find G Rubin annoying, I've got to say that's a good point! Trying to tidy, though it is against my nature.

@Duchesse--I was going to ask you what that stood for--thought it ws a neat new acronym. I know I need a new tank--but I hate to search for a particular item--so time-consuming.

@SL--Well, I found the meds, but not the other things. I still have some hope. The bag was not vintage--my mother really has become a shopaholic. Probably less than a year old. And there were several other (fairly ugly) Coaches. On the happy side: GREAT coat!! And what a bonus to find its history.