grocery bag karma

Am not a domestic goddess. I watch all the domestic goddesses around me with alternating expressions of shock and awe and then of complete disinterest. To put it bluntly, I oscillate between playing Garfield in a cartoon strip watching Jon’s antics and that of a wide eyed toddler at Disney World.

For the few rare readers who have stuck on with me for the past 8 years (BY GOD! HAS IT REALLY BEEN THAT LONG?!) I had once written this post on how one goes about cleaning a closet. The formula was quite simple if you ask me. Get upset with someone, go clean. And if that someone happens to be your significant other, even better. The cleaning is directly proportional to the intensity of the said frustration. Trust me, it still stands the test of time.

And, let me add here that to my great astonishment I learnt while reading a Feng Shui book (no less!) that cleaning a closet or clutter is fabulously accurate a reaction to our state of mind. Go figure!

So where am I going with this? Of course I’ll tell you. Yesterday I accomplished a lot. That means I was upset a lot. I loaded my van with 6 bags of clothes that didn’t fit any of us anymore. 2 big cartons of SAT books of various kinds and some fiction and random books, and drove 14 miles out to a used book store and the Goodwill nearby.

I got $21 store credit that I promptly used up to buy more books. That’s where the Feng Shui book/reference came in btw.

The store refused to take 5 books, so I went over to Goodwill donation center, gave my 6 bags plus those books and grinned back at the happy volunteer and drove home happy and light in my head. Heart was a bit low, so I promptly emptied out the pantry. I also put my phone to good use and texted the rest of the family with before and after pictures.

Here’s a tip Ive learnt as an on and off stay at home mom and one who believed in doing things coz it was the right thing to do and who couldn’t care for any credit or accolades or justification with my time or was answerable to anyone.

YOUR OWN FAMILY TAKES YOU AND YOUR TIME FOR GRANTED.

Not in a bad way, but think about it, if they don’t know because they aren’t there physically, it’s not their fault. Not at all. Each of us have our plates and balancing act, and unless one is told explicitly in words, actions or as the case maybe in in pictures (hey, we live in the selfie-era) they are oblivious to all things done and accomplished. So, Ive started “sharing” – it’s easy. One pic, one text and one click, and there is a record. As an aside, the husband even said “thank you” which rarely happens, though he is thankful in his heart and head, but to actually see a visual extension of an emotion IS a high. Deny it all you want, but that is the truth the world runs on. So.

So I cleaned out the pantry and felt even better.

I landed with a huge hoard of grocery bags. I did what I now do reflexively, since 2 months rather, let me not brag way much. I folded them. Into cute little samosas or spanakopitas.

Like so:

Thanks to pinterest stalking and pinning over the past few months, I now realize the glory, happiness and pride that comes with being a domestic Goddess. That said, am a baby princess, and long ways to go down a path that at this point is occasionally starlit, but not that glamorous for me to rush headlong. I pick my medals, and pathways, and for now, folding grocery bags seems to work great for me.

They are so darn easy to fold and carry and store and use and look so good that my maid (who graces me every fortnight) looked at them and went “awwww, Bonito!” with a  flourish and a happy grin that crinkled her already slanted brown eyes. Admit it, having a happy smiling maid who doesn’t care for the corners is any day a blessing than the one who huffs and puffs her way around and leaves u feeling sanitized in the home and not the heart? Yeah? Yes. The husband will not admit it, but it’s easier slipping a samosa-shaped bag into his pocket when he walks the dog, and I know he appreciates it.

..and just coz seeing it once just doesn’t do enough justice, here’s one more detailed how-to picture by picture illustration on how to fold your own grocery bags (if u don’t get paper bags that is!)

So yes. I folded them 34 odd grocery bags, threw some out and piled them all into an IKEA bag holder under the sink and felt extremely accomplished. I felt like a Stepford wife and beamed all around. Unfortunately no one clapped for me, but hey,. what’s twitter for and I shared and was laughed at, and then applauded and some thought I needed a break and some gawked at my Stepford-Domestic-Goddess incarnation and wondered whatever happened to poor Rads.

I am hoping this phase will pass quickly as well, coz right now am eyeing that corner of neatly stacked board games that none of have played in ages and wondering maybe there will be some who WILL play and they will benefit from it.

Alrighty, do try folding them though. If you do it as soon as you come home and empty them, it takes a grand 10 seconds for each.

Plus, you feel like you’ve used them at least TWICE before you swallow that guilt and walk away!