Productive Momma

Have you ever placed a task on your to-do list that was unobtainable but by just writing it on your list you felt productive? Maybe I am the only one. Either way I have been one productive momma for the past 3 days and have almost conquered the unobtainable! I have been crossing off things on a to-do list that have been there for months.

For those of you who don't know me very well I am a pack-rat, saver, and sentimental freak. I can find a way to become attached to just about anything and find a need to keep it. Ask my hubby. I also have a fear of throwing things that I "just might need" whether I will use the item in the near future or in years from its storage date. To put it into perspective for you, our oldest will soon be 5 years old and our youngest recently turned 3. I have saved ALL their clothes, shoes, coats, toys, art projects, etc. Not to mention all my notes from nursing school, text books, etc.

Now, since our boys are only 20 months apart this was wise, we have certainly gotten our money's worth of everything. However, now that our next child is due to arrive sometime at the beginning of March (give or take), I am wondering whatever possessed me to save all this stuff. We have no more room for storing it all so I have been left with no option but to start purging.

I can only thank Jesus and my husband for the motivation to purge and a desire to eliminate some unnecessary items from our home. I have also been feeling so rotten during this pregnancy that I have not had the energy or time to tackle this overwhelming project. Thus waiting to do this has only fueled my desire to start purging.

However, this week I have done it. Although we still have a long way to go, I am so proud of how much we were able to do (Richard has been helping too). Our spare bedroom upstairs/office/storage room/future nursery is starting to clear out. It feels amazing! Why hadn't I done this before! The funniest thing is that in the almost 6 1/2 years Richard and I have been married we have moved 4 times. This last move I did do some throwing, but was too overwhelmed with packing, working full time and trying to say goodbye to the place we had called home for so many years (remember the sentimental freak that I am).

I decided that this monumental occasion deserved a post of its own...and a list of all that has been done this week:

1. I went through the boys room from top to bottom, removing anything that was too small or wasn't worn and packed it up for the next kiddo or got rid of it. Anyone who has done this before knows this alone is no easy task!
2. Our whole family dumped every toy in our home out on the floor of the basement and we sorted, threw, gave away, and organized ALL the toys. We put all the toys that are no longer played with, but will probably be used be the next kiddo in bins, labeled them and stored them away.
3. Our generous neighbors down the street had given us 4 garbage bags full of clothes for our boys that their boys had outgrown. I went through all these bags and had Jonah and Elijah trying on clothes to see what fits for 45 minutes. They are now set for a long time and we even have a tote full of clothes for Jonah to grow into! What a HUGE blessing!
4. I am embarrassed to admit that we have boxes full of "stuff" that hasn't been touched since we moved over a year ago. I have made it through about 6 of these boxes and ended up throwing most of their contents.
5. I have taken 7 garbage bags full of clothes, household items, etc to the Salvation army. I have made 3 trips to Once Upon a Child and filled our garbage bins outside twice! Yikes!
6. We have been able to also give away quite a bit of toys, clothes, etc to friends who maybe in need of what we don't need anymore.
7. I have been getting rid of quite a bit of my own clothes that have been taking up space in my closet for far too long.
8. I have been able to clean out some of the "hot spots" in our house that are magnets for mail/paper pile ups.
9. I was able to sort through and pack up 3 sizes of clothes that Elijah has grown out of and had been stashed in the laundry room in various ways. It is now labeled and stored!
10. I also decided to clean our house since that has been greatly neglected during the past 2o some weeks ;0)
11. I have also started tackling sorting through the baby stuff (blankets, bottles, baby gear, etc) and organizing that. I of course made many sweet discoveries like the little tiny hat and mittens we needed for Jonah (born in December) that this little one will probably need too!

I am hoping to keep the purging going, but will be taking a short hiatus to let my body recover! I just wanted to let all you fellow pack-rat, sentimental freaks such as myself know that it can be done! You can throw, purge, and de-clutter your life!!!!! It sure feels good, give it a try.

Once we have a better internet connection I will have to post a picture of the office before we started cleaning ;0) It is quite remarkable! I hope you are all having a marvelous week and I bid you happy purging!