reducing chaos

We had a roof leak that ruined the ceiling in our son's bedroom. The insurance company is paying for repairs--the problem was a defect in the roof their contractor put on when a tree fell on our roof five years ago. Our son's room is getting a new ceiling. I decided at the same time we should have the ceilings painted in the hall, our bedroom, and our bathroom, where there is some mold growing.

We don't have to clear the rooms--I asked the contractor and he said anything that is in the way of the workers they will box and moved out of the way. But I'm trying to clear off the stuff piled on my dresser and bedside table. I'm about 1/3 done. The work starts Wednesday but they probably won't start on our bedroom until Thursday.

John agrees that we should have the other ceilings painted and he says he intends to clear his piles of stuff out of the way. But he has hardly started. I am very thankful that it isn't our responsibility to get stuff out of the way--I can just let his stuff be his responsibility.