Washing dishes and packing to move

Before I got waylaid by a detailed description of doing dishes, I mentioned a similarity between that activity and packing to move.

I described packing recently as "the lists of the past..." We've packed over 57 boxes of books so far, and have found (of course, did you doubt it?) an additional 6 boxes full to give to the church book sale in January. I have also noticed the cookbooks in the kitchen, and have wondered where the knitting books are. So we are not done with books.

F and I went through ALL of M's research and resource material, as well as manuscripts and drafts of her book. That has been reduced to half of its original quantity, which (though half is a big reduction) is still a lot of boxes.

P has packed many many boxes of china etc., and there is still more to come, but we have also given away a lot of dishes. It's harder when it looks familiar or I remember using it when I was a child...easier when it is ugly or otherwise immemorable.

I have looked through and organized much music (see my December 3 post), and have been able to give away some of it, earmark some for Batahola Cultural Center, and throw out partial copies of some things...surprisingly few partial copies, considering that much of the music is at least 50 years old, and most of it is more than 70 years old.

We have packed all beads (I think) and are in process of consolidating sewing tools, etc.

We have given away another bookcase and a set of drawers. We have an alarming amount of furniture and bookcases and filing cabinets yet to go.

Well, this account is breaking down in its clarity as anxiety begins to take over, so maybe I'll go pack something.

Stack 'em up and wash 'em

I am the primary dishwasher in our household, which is a blessing in this cold weather. When my hands get cold, I go and do the dishes.

So yesterday, it occurred to me that there are organizational similarities between doing the dishes and packing to move. There is a granularity, an order, and at least temporary feelings of achievement and progress. Of course, with doing the dishes, it happens daily, three times or more a day. With packing, it is still intermittent, but has a similar aspect.

I'll try to explain.

I think I learned best how to do dishes in 1966 or so, at Thanksgiving visiting Dot's family in West Roxbury. I also once had an employee who described dishwashing as a highly creative act. I suspect that "creative" in this realm is very narrow, but satisfying.

But this is how I do it now:

1. Start with hot soapy water in a dishpan
   
2. With a clean sponge and some of the soapy water, clean the top of the stove, removing the spoon holder to wait with the plates
3. Scrape all dishes as needed
4. Begin with the glasses and mugs
5. Wash each, rinse each (turning water on and off), and place in drainer
6. When all the drinkware is washed, put all flatware...forks, knives, spoons...in the water
7. On top of the flatware, place the largest plates, smaller plates, etc., until they start showing above the waterline.
8. Wash plates from small to large, rinsing each (turn water on and off) in turn, and placing in drainer
9. When the dishes are all cleaned, start on the flatware that has been soaking under water
10. Place sharp knives and granny forks (and spatulas, etc.) business-side down in their own receptacle in the drainer
11. Place washed flatware business-side up in *their* own receptacle in the drainer
12. Rinse all tools and flatware. Remove the table flatware to the upper level drainer. (Maybe I should have made a diagram)
13. If the water is not too greasy yet, wash the pots and pans, least greasy to most greasy, rinsing as you go and placing them in the lower drainer.
14. When everything is washed, clean the counter top where the dishes had been accumulated before washing
15. Dump the water out of the dish pan
16. Rinse the inside and outside of the dish pan. If it is greasy, put some baking soda on the sponge, and absorb the grease, swiping the surface with the baking soda sponge, and then rinsing
17. When the soapy water has drained out of the sink, rinse the soap etc. scum from the sink. If necessary, use another baking soda sponge on the sink itself, cleaning side and bottom surfaces.
18. Grab a cup of coffee and go back to the computer. This step is optional