When I was working full-time in insurance, every couple of months I scheduled a "Button Day" to go through my closet and pull out anything that needed dry cleaning, alterations, or repairs. The little repairs, like shining shoes and sewing fallen buttons back on, I handled myself; I dropped off more serious cases at the dry cleaners, shoe repair shop, or tailor, as appropriate.
Since I've spent the last year working from home, I haven't bothered with Button Day. Who cared whether my T-shirts were spotted or my jeans held closed with a safety pin when no one saw me for days at a time except the cat? I managed to pull myself together occasionally to run errands in public places or meet clients face-to-face, but my wardrobe was starting to look like the poster child for deferred maintenance.
However, on Monday I'm starting a three-month contract position working 5 days a week at the clients' office, with a chance they may eventually hire me for a permanent full-time job. Showing up as Raggedy Ann's mother is not an option, so I've spent the last several days shining and sewing and ferrying stained pants and creased jackets to the cleaners. I've done some personal maintenance, too, since I was way overdue for a professional haircut, root touch-up, and pedicure. Tomorrow I'll have my car washed, vacuumed, and filled with gas and I should be good to go, for a while anyway.
Better schedule next month's Button Day now for the items I snag, scuff, or drop food on between today and then.
“The first thing any comedian does on getting an unscheduled laugh is to verify the state of his buttons.” ~W. C. Fields
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