Saturday, August 23, 2014

baby steps

When we went to Dani's house it was so tidy and cute.  She didn't have clutter and it was peaceful there.
My house is cluttery.  I don't want it to be but I am bad about getting rid of stuff.
After we were home a couple days I was talking to Jenna one day, she's in the middle of setting up her new apartment and she had many boxes of books.  She said "what should I do with all these books?" and we discussed what she had.  Then I said (brilliantly) "sometimes it's good to cull the shelf and get rid of some that you won't read again).  To which J replied, "Mom, I don't think you have EVER done that.".  Guilty.

So after some thinking and soul searching I decided to purge...a little.  This morning I went through Grace's room with her and we selected 50 books, not favorites just books, to share with other readers. I also slipped in two stuffed animals while she wasn't looking.

Long ago I read a flylady book and she recommended "releasing" 15 things a day until you have pared down your stuff to only that which you love, use and need.  The rest you either throw away (if it's trash) or donate so it can bless someone else's life.  I can do that.

Psychological insight: I keep stuff because I want to be grateful for what I have.  Perhaps it is more grateful to share what I don't need.  Certainly it is easier to take care of, and will make for a more peaceful home.

I can do this......maybe ;)
Anyway, like I also so brilliantly said yesterday while talking to Rob on the phone (back story alert) he was saying he wants to change the culture of our family to one of working out together so he was starting a pattern of going to the gym with the kids after work.  He and Ethan went once, the night before.  Then he laughed and said it wasn't much of a pattern and I said...wait for it....a pattern starts somewhere, one day is better than 0, especially if the one day is today.

so one day of releasing for me, one day of exercising for him.  We are better people already!

2 comments:

  1. I've been doing the same with my girls' books! It is so hard to get rid of books, but then again, I don't need 8000 books. :)

    ReplyDelete