I am not certain if it's the weather but something specific has put an extra spring into my step. It seems each and every time I turn around, I am bagging up excess stuff and filling bags that will be hauled to the Goodwill. I haven't actually taken any loads to the G'will, only because I can't seem to stop from bagging up more and more and figured I can make one trip with ALL the stuff versus trip after trip with bag after bag.
I've managed to accumulate 9 entire garbage bags full of this stuff that we just haven't a use for any longer. Most of the bags are filled to the brim with clothing; old, new, outgrown, outlived, and likewise. Having 4 growing children in the house, a husband that keeps fluctuating in weight and years and years of having held onto things, its time to let it go. And it feels great! Everything is getting neatly organized, de-cluttered, and eventually each and every item will have a home to be placed within, even if that means hanging on a rack at the Goodwill for other people to be able to get some use out of.
I dig and dive into dresser drawers, clothes hanging in the closet, a basement excessively filled with the excess and as I hold something up to examine for either garbage bin or goodwill bag; it becomes absolute apparent how extremely fast these small beings in my home have not only grown; but matured. There are themed shirts; anything Pixar and/or Disney themed whetherbeit Cars, Despicable Me, Princess & The Frog, monster trucks, soccer balls, flowers power, and glitter glam, etc and I realize that not only do these items not fit their bodies, the propaganda covering the front, sides, backs, all the way around no longer fits their personalities. Its stripes, plaid, cool DJ prints, skateboarding gear, and anything with graffiti tagged across the chest. It's leggings and a knee high boots with a vest and finger-less gloves.
It's a great wonderful feeling knowing that excess is being diminished, clutter is being kicked to the curb, and everything will have a place and be out of our face. The curtains are all tied back in the house, the sun glowing through the clean windows; a few which have been cracked open to circulate some fresh air into the space; Febreze is being implemented thoroughly and all seems right in the world while the smell of fresh bread is baking in the oven and filling the house with an ever pleasant aroma that every home should have so often, especially on Sundays :)
As as great as it is that we're letting go of items to make room for new things that start new chapters in our lives, it's also surreal knowing that these kids grow so very fast. Day by day goes by and our routines remain true. We each grow in our ways, taking on new traits that make up our individualized personalities. But where does the time go? Must they grow so darned fast? I have an infant that has bags full of clothing that is already too small :( I find pictures of children that have baby faces and pigtails and OshKosh overalls and find that they're being replaced with the same kids except with a mouth full of missing teeth with each smile captured by the camera, a little girl that has a tooth popping through her gum filled smile, and sometimes; even though it's just stuff; it's harder to let go of the memory than it is the actual item.
I think down the road a bit. I daydream of what the future might have in store; for each being in the household. Although I know each will be absolutely perfect in his or her own way, I sometimes want to freeze time and hold on tightly to the memories I have of them while they are still young. It seems like tomorrow we'll be preparing for high school graduations, meeting boyfriends and girlfriends they enjoying hanging out with, when we can't seem to keep them home while they are running around to high school basketballs games, taking tours of colleges they wish to attend, and preparing to take on a life of their own.
Call me sentimental. It wouldn't be the first time, nor the last someone called me such; overly sensitive, delicate, or high-strung. I take everything to heart; spoken aloud or quietly gestured. It makes a difference to me knowing that every single aspect of our lives is shaping the character of these children; forming them into the adults they will grow up to be.
There will be many more springs of cleaning and de-cluttering; getting rid of the old and too small and making way for new and what is trendy. I am certain that every spring as we make way for new life of our surroundings, get ready for growth and rebirth of the things in our lives that we do on an annual basis this time of year; that a tear (or two) will be shed at the speed in which it all goes hurling by.
...Stop this Train... (sometimes I simply cannot take the speed it's moving in)
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up - that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had."
I've managed to accumulate 9 entire garbage bags full of this stuff that we just haven't a use for any longer. Most of the bags are filled to the brim with clothing; old, new, outgrown, outlived, and likewise. Having 4 growing children in the house, a husband that keeps fluctuating in weight and years and years of having held onto things, its time to let it go. And it feels great! Everything is getting neatly organized, de-cluttered, and eventually each and every item will have a home to be placed within, even if that means hanging on a rack at the Goodwill for other people to be able to get some use out of.
I dig and dive into dresser drawers, clothes hanging in the closet, a basement excessively filled with the excess and as I hold something up to examine for either garbage bin or goodwill bag; it becomes absolute apparent how extremely fast these small beings in my home have not only grown; but matured. There are themed shirts; anything Pixar and/or Disney themed whetherbeit Cars, Despicable Me, Princess & The Frog, monster trucks, soccer balls, flowers power, and glitter glam, etc and I realize that not only do these items not fit their bodies, the propaganda covering the front, sides, backs, all the way around no longer fits their personalities. Its stripes, plaid, cool DJ prints, skateboarding gear, and anything with graffiti tagged across the chest. It's leggings and a knee high boots with a vest and finger-less gloves.
It's a great wonderful feeling knowing that excess is being diminished, clutter is being kicked to the curb, and everything will have a place and be out of our face. The curtains are all tied back in the house, the sun glowing through the clean windows; a few which have been cracked open to circulate some fresh air into the space; Febreze is being implemented thoroughly and all seems right in the world while the smell of fresh bread is baking in the oven and filling the house with an ever pleasant aroma that every home should have so often, especially on Sundays :)
As as great as it is that we're letting go of items to make room for new things that start new chapters in our lives, it's also surreal knowing that these kids grow so very fast. Day by day goes by and our routines remain true. We each grow in our ways, taking on new traits that make up our individualized personalities. But where does the time go? Must they grow so darned fast? I have an infant that has bags full of clothing that is already too small :( I find pictures of children that have baby faces and pigtails and OshKosh overalls and find that they're being replaced with the same kids except with a mouth full of missing teeth with each smile captured by the camera, a little girl that has a tooth popping through her gum filled smile, and sometimes; even though it's just stuff; it's harder to let go of the memory than it is the actual item.
I think down the road a bit. I daydream of what the future might have in store; for each being in the household. Although I know each will be absolutely perfect in his or her own way, I sometimes want to freeze time and hold on tightly to the memories I have of them while they are still young. It seems like tomorrow we'll be preparing for high school graduations, meeting boyfriends and girlfriends they enjoying hanging out with, when we can't seem to keep them home while they are running around to high school basketballs games, taking tours of colleges they wish to attend, and preparing to take on a life of their own.
Call me sentimental. It wouldn't be the first time, nor the last someone called me such; overly sensitive, delicate, or high-strung. I take everything to heart; spoken aloud or quietly gestured. It makes a difference to me knowing that every single aspect of our lives is shaping the character of these children; forming them into the adults they will grow up to be.
There will be many more springs of cleaning and de-cluttering; getting rid of the old and too small and making way for new and what is trendy. I am certain that every spring as we make way for new life of our surroundings, get ready for growth and rebirth of the things in our lives that we do on an annual basis this time of year; that a tear (or two) will be shed at the speed in which it all goes hurling by.
...Stop this Train... (sometimes I simply cannot take the speed it's moving in)
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up - that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had."
Great post! you have a terrific way with words, a great eye for pictures, but most of all you present a minds eye picture of what love should be like. Nice!
ReplyDeleteOBTW let me know if you need me to get you some shoestrings;)