Red

I had a bout of existential dread yesterday afternoon.  I think it was in good part from feeling that I haven't accomplished enough this break, and classes starting today.  (I have accomplished a good deal this break, but much of it isn't work related, though it was good and I'm very glad I did it.)  In lesser part, I think I was also feeling a bit overwhelmed by household clutter.  I'm a dreadful clutterer.  I have several piles of books on my dining table, and piles on my office desk.  Or had.

I got rid of the angst by redding up (red upping?) my house, especially my office.  I put books on a shelf, put financial stuff in the right envelop (for the tax year, so that it will be ready and easy to find when I do my taxes), put car stuff away, and in general just red up the house (redded?)

I always think of the decluttering process as "redding"; when I was a kid, my Mom would tell me to "red up my room" or say she was going to "red up" the kitchen.

The problem with "red" is that I'm never sure how to use it in any sort of past tense (or whatever the tenses are called by those who have real names for them). 

I red up my room?

I redded up my room?

I red upped my room?

Which sounds right for when I did it yesterday?

Who else uses "red" to talk about decluttering?


At any rate, my office now looks quite a bit less cluttered, and so does my dining table, and the kitchen counter, and for some reason, that helped my dread ease.  I am slightly better prepared for the beginning of the semester, because I was pretty much prepared before the dread set in, and now I'm a little more organized, and that's to the good.

Our semester begins today.  So for those who started last week or before (or who are on quarters, and so a third done), I hope your term's going well.  And for those who start today, good luck, and happy work ahead!