The Cleansing

my baby has an affinity toward felt-tipped markers

It's been a long time coming. I've been really needing to purge my entire house of all the extra stuff. I've been thinking for a while that there are many things that I claim I enjoy doing, but I just don't seem to have the time to do. I've known the answer all along. Simplify.

Then last week I realized that we had a Relief Society Meeting on the 18th. I will admit that often times I don't go because it just seems like too much effort to go somewhere after a long day at home doing chores and school with the kids. This time was different. Sister Pauline Hatch (you've got to check her and her coauthor's site out) was doing a presentation on home organization. She is wonderful. If you ever get a chance to hear from her, jump on it! She funny and there is no browbeating involved. She doesn't make me feel like I'm a bad mom for not having the perfect house. This is just what I needed. I heard her speak several years ago (obviously, I didn't put all of her advice into action), so I knew all the tricks and techniques for "streamlining" the home, but just needed a light under me to get me motivated. I came home invigorated.

First thing Wednesday morning I was up cleaning my room. I keep my room pretty clean and I don't have a closet stuffed full of clothes, but I managed to fill an apple box full of stuff to go to the thrift store. I cleaned out the drawers, the closet, everything.

As the kids got up they filed in, wondering what is going on.

I warned them, "Your room is coming."

It wasn't even 8:00 and I was moving on to the little boys room. I was smokin'!!!!!

I went through their room and filled a grocery sack full of garbage and added another small box to my donations. Room done. Sweet.

I then decide to move on to the downstairs family room area. I put the kids to work and we manage to purge ourselves of unworn clothes, unloved toys, and unwanted miscellaneous hud.

The night came and we were all warn out. I had overdone it. My sciatic nerve was killing me and I could hardly walk, but it was SOOOO worth it.

Thursday, along with today, was a repeat of Wednesday. Different room. Same story. Clean. Purge. Dump. Repeat. Pauline talked like this might be an emotional thing, but the only emotion I feel is joy. This morning I felt happier. I woke at 5:45. The two youngest got up just a few minutes later. I wasn't annoyed. My kitchen was very clean, so I had time to sit a rock them.

I'm glad they still like to rock.

Decluttering makes me happy.

*I must add that the older kids did their own streamlining with my guidance. I am not an advocate of pitching things for my kids. I've found that when they're given the chance, they are pretty good at tossing stuff. I gave them each an apple box to serve as a "treasure box" for drawings, birthday cards, etc., all those kind of things they want to keep, but don't use or look @ on a daily basis. They get one box (per Pauline's advice) and this will teach them to periodically go through things and discard what is no longer important.