Well, the wrapping paper is bagged. The tree is down. The ornaments are packed up. The lights are put away. All evidence of Christmas over here has disappeared.
Depressing? Sad?
Heavens no!
We had our three months of decor and holiday fun - from Halloween and pumpkins to Turkey and Thanksgiving and on into Christmas with the presents and shopping, etc. But now it's time to turn the calendar page to January and start looking at the New Year!
My personal favorite way to engage the coming year?
- PURGEFEST
- PURGEAPALOOZA
- PURGESWEEP-USA
- PURGE-IESTA
Yes, my friends - it's the most wonderful time of the year...time to purge the junk and trash and plain old clutter that has accumulated since the last purge. Actually, further back than that - because this time it was different.
This time, because the stars aligned and fate stepped in to help a sista' out - AB was ON BOARD and not just that, but every day since Sunday, we've been attacking our precious abode with new gusto and fervor. Why, you might ask? Because - if there is one thing that really gets to me, one thing that sticks in my craw, one thing that really bugs me to no end - it's CLUTTER. Yes folks, come on down and gawk at the freak show that is my OCD to clean. But I cannot apologize for it, I simply can't. There is something ridiculously lovely about a clutter free and clean home and I for one really enjoy living in that house.
All that being said, we have been going room to room (leaving no stone unturned, mind you) and really and truly giving the old boot to anything that 1. serves zero purpose for us any longer, 2. hasn't been used in over six months to a year, 3. has so much dust on it you can scarcely tell what it is anyway, 4. despite being a "keepsake" it really has no deep sentimental value that will make any sense beyond retirement years, 5. we have no idea why we even have it, 6. we know why we have it, but we have five others just like it.
This is a list that you too can take room to room in your home. You will be AMAZED at what you can part with under those guidelines. It was like a common sense trip through the house, wherein we found ourselves actually giddy over the ability to get rid of more and more crap (oops) stuff. We now have made our way through each and every room and have a large pile of "donate" items for a tax write off sitting in our garage, and an even larger pile of "trash" items - both of which we'll bid a fond farewell to on Friday morning. Meanwhile, the only "room" left to attack is the garage - and we will organize and clean that up, give a push up to the attic for all that remains saved from the garbage man, and give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done.
You know those candles you've been saving in that box under that sink for like ten years? Toss em. How about those oven mitts that you never even use and don't really like, but they're in the bottom of that drawer over there and you just ignore them? Trash. What about those bowls that haven't seen the outside of the cabinet for centuries? Donate. Seriously...this is the way to start your year. I'm just saying...
First of all - it made WAY more room everywhere for stuff we actually use and like. It made it possible to organize what remained and create breathing room for new things to be added over the next year. It also made it possible to let go of some of this stuff I've been saving/hoarding/cleaning around/and stepping over for our entire marriage. Seriously - this wasn't just a purge. This was an overhaul. I got so sick of pretend purging - where you really don't allow yourself to part with much at all. Lame. I really wanted to go in with fresh eyes and level with myself. If I really wasn't using it and hadn't for a year - it really needed to go. AB was right there with me - and we parted with a lot of extras that someone else will really be able to make use of.
We were actually excited to see all that stuff go out the door. Like a cleansing - a scrub down, if you will - of our living space. One that was cluttered but now is refreshing. I can't think of a better way to start the New Year.
Except maybe for this - I found these in my purge...just priceless - xo
Chrismtas ~ my darling Maternal Grandma circa early 1950's (get a load of that TV!)
Christmas - my sweet Mommy as a little girl circa mid 50's...love her!
and me...Chrismtas circa early 80's (told you I was a brunette)
Hope your New Year is merry and bright - and your 2009 is everything you've been waiting for... (wink to all my LID buddies)
