Friday Follow

It’s Friday! Hooray!

Not sure why I’m so stoked about that when I consider the weekend that lies ahead (much in the way of sitting in the cold on the sidelines and rushing from recital to game, rinse and repeat.) But still…Friday. There’s something mystical about the thrill it holds.

Not least of which is Friday Follow. I’ve missed you so! Ditched it last week, back in full strength today. One lucky follower who comments below will be receiving a pretty little something (chosen especially for them) in the mail. Good mail? Irresistible.

So! On my mind today is clinging to the past at the expense of the present. I’ve been on a mission this week to dispense of all the under-used toys in the playroom. After lamenting pitifully to my husband and informing him that he had the most deprived wife in all the world (when it came to clothing storage space) he informed me that he would happily relocate his clothing to the playroom closet. Upon inspection, we realized that this closet has been woefully underutilized. Filled with crap toys that nobody knew existed. This closet, this large and spacious closet. This mirage in the barren wasteland of strewn toys and limited storage space.

After years of literally dreaming that I had discovered a new closet behind a secret door in my house, my dream had come true. And so began the somewhat traumatic experience of purging the toys which were good toys, toys in nice condition, toys that cost good money, toys that had memories attached to them, or toys that had hopes and dreams and ideals attached to them (like, you know...the children actually playing with them the way the kids in the commercials did.)

All toys that nobody was playing with anymore or hardly playing with.. It’s traumatic at times. I'm not going to lie But when I detach and think about it, I am absolutely stunned that I have allowed my sentimental hang-ups to steal space and peace from my current life. People. Let me reiterate. There is NO SPACE TO SPARE IN THIS HOME. It is small, it is cute and miniature. It was built in an era when people were smaller and had less stuff. (Sounds like a good era to me). It is inhabited by 6 people who have more stuff then they need.

Rather ridiculous isn't it, considering all the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth over the fact that all my clothing and my husband’s clothing must fit into a Victorian sized closet along with a dresser?

All the shrieking guilt trips and rage over the state of the playroom. Which was Always. A. Mess.

All the hours spent cleaning the playroom and then begging/pleading/threatening about it staying that way.

Why? WHhhhhhhhy? It’s nuts. It’s crazy. It has to stop. Why do we spend the precious hours of our lives rearranging/freaking out over/dusting our mostly useless stuff? I know I am not alone in this. In fact my kids have far (FAAAAAAR) less stuff then most kids I know. We have less stuff then most families I know. And yet. So much more then we should.

I have to say, the tossing is liberating. I’m not going to say it’s not a bit panic inducing (I’m throwing away my children’s childhoods after all. Right? It does feel like that at times. But then I remind myself that I'm saving their childhood. I'm giving them space to play with the few toys they actually do play with, I'm saving them time cleaning up the playroom, I'm giving them a sane mother. Seems like a pretty awesome trade-off to me. No?

And I am not going to lie- I am going to be absolutely blissed out when I move my clothes over into my husband's newly vacated section. I can only imagine the wonders that will be revealed when I can spread my clothes more then 1/8th of an inch apart. I may discover a whole forgotten wardrobe.. I'm giddy over possibilities. Totally worth ditching the Diego train set that he played with so cutely for 15 minutes when he was three...(sniff)...maybe...

PS: If you need help gaining the courage to toss and simplify check out this chick. She is amazing and a little extreme and she makes sense.

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