Purging is to January what excess is to December.
It's a balance I love. I love the excess and anticipate and enjoy the purging. Sometimes all the wrapping paper and boxes and extra things of December get to me and I have to remind myself: The purging is coming.
Last weekend I cleaned out the bathroom cabinets and laundry area to make room for all of the organic castile soap that I got for Christmas. Today I sorted Andrew's books and toys. I packed away the holiday books, fixed the broken books and resorted the rest into his book baskets. Then I hit the toys. I put the outgrown toys away and rearranged the other toys bringing some long forgottens into more prominent areas and made room for the new Christmas loot. His toy shelves look great. Dave and I are very fortunate to have parents that aware of our small living space. They either ask for specific gift ideas, or give Andrew small, practical toys (like a giant piano you play with your feet that conveniently folds up and fits in any given nook or cranny). We might be some of a small handful of parents that think their kid has enough and not too much. But, we still technically have only one kid. The 'just enough' might shift a bit when Sprout comes along.
Then Dave and I cleared away lots of our own books to sell and recycle and make room for new books!
This is just the beginning. The Great January Reorganization Project will go through all the closets, drawers, boxes and baskets and there will be precious little that we don't make deliberate decisions on whether to keep or toss. I guess this is the way of urban living.
Then, sometime this Spring, we'll find a place to put a whole new person. Well, his crib and dresser at least.
It is all quite magical really.
2 comments:
I just did quite a bit of purging myself, in moving from a one bedroom apartment to, well, one room.
After a day of purging I felt fabulous, and Cuong looked like death. It obviously doesn't give him the kick it gives me.
Sometimes I wish I could be a little more flexible with external chaos. Yesterday I emphasized to Cuong to put his wallet, phone, and keys in the small container I bought for that. He laughed hysterically -- even though I know he intends to listen. Later, I was able to make fun of myself, saying that I had generously designated a 3"x3" space just for his mess. :)
I have a little basket for Dave's mess too! Maybe we should have Dave and Cuong exchange email addresses so they can have each other for moral support.
Dave doesn't use his little basket. ;)
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