When a friend of mine got into Feng Shui, I noticed that I have a tendency to pile things in my own way, in places where I need to walk. Changing behavoir is hard! but I’m much better at that now.

@Rebecca, I have a sympathetic query: I can understand being cautious (especially after you’ve already had one nasty spider bite) but if your arachnophobia is really *off the charts* would you consider working with a therapist specializing in anxieties? I’m not trying to be condescending or unfriendly but there’s a balance between taking precautions and making yourself suffer unnecessarily. On the one hand, I may not be one to talk, since I cope with my own fears (heights, deep water, bridges, tunnels, caves) mostly by 100% avoidance, except for tunnels (sometimes unavoidable on U.S. highways) and heights (I do fly on airplanes and lived for years in a high-rise apartment building). On the other hand, I’m not spending 20 min/day being anxious about my phobias and I don’t feel deprived living without benefit of balcony views, cavern views, water sports, or travel on water craft.

Well, back to my piles of papers printed with words. I’m developing a strong dislike for living in clutter. I just wish this aversion would develop _faster_.

@Gypsy Packer: “snakes, why did it have to be snakes….” I love Indiana Jones, and I too, fear snakes.

It was pretty funny to have a cleaning discussion with a nurse; I even recommended this site to her! She’s a Fly Lady fan, herself. However, she did offer some good advice; apparently this is the time of year (spring in the northern hemisphere) when a lot of people present in ER’s with infections and injuries related to home improvement projects.

Thanks for the tips!

@Gypsy — venomous snake in a kindling box? *FAINTS* Also, BW spiders generally live outdoors, while BRs prefer to be indoors HOWEVER, this is the generalization and certainly not a rule to take hard and fast. Better to realize BWs are in EVERY state and BRs in most and where there aren’t BRs, there are hobo spiders and aggressive house spiders and yellow sac spiders, which aren’t nice to be bitten by. BETTER TO BE SAFE AND CHECK FIRST. When we were moving our garden beds this weekend, I saw about 3 dozen small spiders, about 2/3 of which were small wolf spiders (unpleasant, but not particularly venomous, bite) and the other 1/3? BRs. I nearly threw up a few times. Hubby had to do most of the work. I kept saying “You’re SO brave. And a little bit reckless.”

@Klyla — It now takes me 20 minutes to get dressed every morning. My arachnophobia, previously a level 8, is now OFF THE CHARTS. (An 11, to reference “This is Spinal Tap”.)

Thanks for posting this Erin…and for allowing your readers to comment! This has become a post that has really made me think after all!

Undoubtedly true.

But what I’ve often wondered about is this: Is a stack of newspapers a bigger threat than a pile of magazines or a shelf of paperback books or a wall of bookcases filled with hardcover books?

I like to move bags, boxes and piles out of the natural exit way for the night when cleaning more in one go in my own home. It can be very comfusing when waking up in the middle of the night to trip over something that is normally never there on my way to the bathroom.

Lyndey, it is ‘tetanus’ spread by Clostridium tetani, by the way! Great reminder, thanks.

OK, point is, watch out for things in your car or van that are dark and unused for months. Hiding place can be glove box, shoes, purses, etc. Don’t stick your hand in these things before being properly prepared. Especially in Texas!