I read some advice on a blog that I've actually taken to heart AND found useful.
That's important, because not all of what I think is great is useful, and certainly not all of what is useful do I actually use.
As a mom, I'm generally overwhelmed in some area - or all areas, haha. I have the desire to "do it all", but I don't have the time or energy. My house is usually in a state of chaos - despite my cleaning efforts. Laundry and dishes pile up by the minute it seems. Toys multiple like bunnies. Freshly swept floors look vaguely reminiscent to convenience store bathroom floors in no time. It's exhausting just thinking about it.
But this post boiled it down to two things. Just do two things really well, and the rest will fall into place.
Uh huh.
And what are those two things you ask?
Laundry and meals. The bare minimum the family needs to survive. The key is to do them well. And she lays out a pretty good system for taking care of them.
I'm really only on the first task - laundry, and I'd say my life has improved 100%. Her post on the secret to laundry really hit home. Basically, if you want to win the laundry war - you need fewer clothes. Ah, uh wait, what?
I'm no fashion whore - that's for sure - but I have my fair share of clothes. Not clothes that I wear, mind you. But sentimental clothes...
What are sentimental clothes, you ask?
You know...like - the dress I wore to the first college dance I went to with Mark - a hot little number - skimpy, tight, and black.
Or, those jeans I haven't been able to fit into in 5 years.
Or the dress I wore to so-and-so's wedding.
Or the sweater I wore in my senior pictures!
I seem to tie memories to clothing, and then just keep it around long after it's due to be donated.
So I cleaned out my closets. I'd say I donated 50-75% of my clothes - many of which were from the "good old days". I'm ashamed to say there might have been some high school numbers in there.
And wow. I felt such a relief. Having all this "stuff" suffocates you! Now I'm getting rid of all kinds of things! I'm purging it all! There is a huge release in letting go of all this sentimental junk that has been building up over the past decade or more.
If you come over and see only a folding chair and a cardboard box in my house, feel free to tell me I've gone too far.
How about you? Do you have sentimental clothes? Emotional attachments to things that never see the light of day?
5 comments:
I have my wedding dress. Why, I am not sure. It's even in a perservation box. Now I guess you can say maybe a daughter or niece might want it, but styles change, and not everyone wants something "old fashion," plus it was a size 20 I believe, which I would hope neither would be...But I still save it. Does anyone else have their wedding dress?
I have mine. I keep thinking about selling it or something, but I'm just not sure yet. I could probably actually make a profit since it was a $700 dress I got for $80.
I do have a lot of clothes from high school and college, but I think all the ones I still have are ones that actually fit. I went through and did a Goodwill box late last year. I did save some pants that are too big for me now, but I figured they'll be good for pregnancy/postpartum wear when I'm not quite my normal size but also not quite big enough for maternity clothes.
Definitely still have my wedding dress. Not giving that up any time soon - I loved that dress!
I have a ton of sentimental clothes all the way back to when I was a baby!! Plus I tend to hold on to clothes that I think I will fit back into as well...even though I "know" by the time I can fit back into them, they probably won't even be in style and I won't want to wear them anyway. Ugh. I have gone through about 3 phases of clean out since we have been married, but still need to cut the clothes down to what I truly wear.
One tip on doing that to is to turn the hangers backwards in the closet and then when you wear something, wash it and hang it back up, you turn the hanger the right way. Then in 3-6 months time you just look to see what hangers are backwards to know what you aren't wearing and you can get rid of them. My mom taught me that trick and it has worked for me before.
On another note, this was a very encouraging post for me b/c sometimes I feel like I can't accomplish anything and those are the areas that are hardest for me...even though I love cooking, it takes discipline to plan the meals and prepare everything and don't even get me started on laundry!! I hate doing it and have been blessed with a husband how does it, but I always feel so guilty knowing that I work from home and can run the laundry while I am here, but I just don't.
So thanks for the inspiration -- I did the laundry yesterday and I felt really good about it and like I blessed by husband just a little bit so that he didn't have to come home to that! :)
PS -- I am never getting rid of my wedding dress...no sirree bob! Love it too much!
We need to have a wedding dress party or something... when none of us are pregnant, that is!
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