One of the new PHASES of menopause I guess you could say I am experiencing now is PURGING or streamlining. I am NOT quite sure what brought all this on but I am thankful in a way it finally is happening. I THINK perhaps it was the fact that I have had so much STUFF just sitting around and not having a place for things that I finally got tired of the house being like that and living like that? I mean except for a few things... if I was on CLEAN SWEEP right now I would probably tell them to pretty much SELL most of my things. I am even now considering selling my collectible things I have accumulated to give someday to Noah. They are mostly Christmas things now......and I wonder if he would even want them when he got older. I mean he might...but then again might not. I am planning on giving him all my ornaments someday too...and I imagine he will like those...but then again perhaps not. Regardless we cannot take anything WITH us and our LIVING rooms are meant to be lived in and not having to walk around things on eggshells afraid we will trip over something or knock something over cause we have no place to put it!!! I have had PILES just sitting around for so long I am tired of it. I have to really be careful now (and it is getting EASIER all the time)...to NOT buy things for DECORATING my home or a room....or to HAVE. I mean right now I am even rethinking my entire decorating scheme of my home.....so until I know for sure why buy? AND.....I want to replace some of these cheaper things with more nice quality items...

SO..I sit here in the midst of piles and look around...this really motivates me and is how I was already able to get together like 20-25 boxes and bags of stuff to donate to the Salvation Army. I am ANXIOUS to get out to the outside closet and see what is out there that I can get ready to donate as I KNOW there is much out there to get rid of. I also have to stop and think about STOCKING up on things. I have a tendency to BUY several of about anything I buy (just in case I need more or for some weird reason). SOMETIMES that might be a good idea...but other times NOT.

Anyway...I was watching Clean Sweep tonight and it really really got me to thinking. We are to LIVE in our living room. Our bedroom is to be a retreat. NO clutter in the home. I know clutter places chaos in your life and you cannot relax..etc.. It basically MAKES YOU TIRED...SO....you have to then stop and ask what is really the most important things you have around you. Then reality hits and you realize there are not many material items that would be of great importance. The people in your life are.....and LIVING with them. BUT how can you do that if clutter has taken control of your life. So...I enjoy some of my books....MY CANDLES for sure....and my craft stuff for scrapbooking and painting etc. Clothes are not important to me. Never really have been. WHY do I have like 50 sets or kinds of coffee mugs? COFFEE is something I enjoy...but I never get to appreciate all my mugs..as I tend to use the same ones over and over again. I am so blessed...but also see where I have really spent a lot of money on things someone will someday have to give away...sell or donate anyway (or pass down to other family members if wanted). Weird.......so....I need to get my butt in gear and get cracking now on the rest of the house. I imagine when I am DONE...STORAGE will no longer be an issue here and our home will become more comfortable and we will have a more enjoyable living space. AND not so much to worry about then huh? I mean if you don't have that much around to replace if you had to....you don't think about it as much or worry about it as much if you are not there and something happens to it. Course I kind of got over that anyway...when you move and have things you find 2-4 years later that are still packed up you CAN OBVIOUSLY live your life now without them sitting around out of the boxes!! So......it is time. I wish I had the space outside to do a true CLEAN SWEEP but I am doing pretty well with the space I have I guess.

Have you found this purging or streamlining coming into your life lately? It is almost the exact OPPOSITE of NESTING that you go through prior to having a baby I guess you could say. Weird but that is how it feels.


me