The Great Purge

I saw an Oprah a few days ago on clutter. They featured a family who lived in a virtual pig-sty of clutter - they could barely move from one room to the next. I've always been a big fan of throwing things out - I'm not overly sentimental and I love to minimize. Of course, that doesn't mean we don't somehow manage to collect mounds and mounds of stuff. I've been meaning to go through K-squared's playroom since Christmas and switch out some of their old toys for their new, but after watching that show I was reinvigorated to just purge all of the useless junk and old toys that we just didn't need. It's a delicate balance - thinking you have to keep something because someone special bought it for you, or because a year ago your child really loved it, or because you know how much it cost. But as it was I pulled out 8 or more trashbags full of stuff out of the playroom and the kids still have countless toys, books, stuffed animals, games, puzzles and arts and crafts. But now there is actually room for their stuff and its not just spilling out of every nook and cranny. That felt good.

Next I tackled K1's room - a virtual nightmare of random bits and pieces of junk. It felt so good to see his clean floor again. K2 was next - her room isn't as messy as K1's, but she's a big fan of pulling everything out of her drawers and cubbies and its a never ending battle putting them all away again. So the answer of course is to have less stuff in those drawers and cubbies. So simple, so genius.

Next is B and I's stuff, and in fairness its probably worse than the kids. My office alone is probably a week long purge project. But its well worth it. In the end I feel more in control of my life, lighter somehow and cleaner.

Now if I could only apply the purge process to the kids wardrobes. But we all have to have at least one weakness...