Sole Purging

I used to LOVE watching Oprah when I found myself with nothing better to do at 3pm. The last several years of her show have been really great at times - fun interviews with celebs, helpful hints for making life better. I am, however, rarely free at 3pm. Thank heavens for TiVo!

Yesterdays' show, which I enjoyed this morning over coffee, was all about getting rid of the clutter. I quickly turned up the volume on this one!! It seems that a household with 5 humans, 2 canines and 2 avians can collect STUFF. Amazing, huh? Betcha have a hard time relating??

The guest is an author and a rather funny Aussie, and he takes delight in entering the domestic chaos of people's homes and transforming them into works of organizational genius. I am free to admit that I walk through the Container Store and drool, but alas have nay an organizational bone in my body. (Lucky for me, Steve has quite a few, but I've just about abliterated them in 10 years of marriage!) I would love to be clean, clutter free and organized, but was raised by a self-proclaimed pack rat (Dad) and one who espouses the "scorched earth" style of organization (Mom). I'm very confused as I am deeply embedded and stuck inbetween the two worlds.

Yesterdays' show gave me a start... I caught the last 10 minutes yesterday, and was inspired by just those mere moments to attack my makeup drawer. No small feat, I might say!! It took under an hour, but I cleaned out not only my cosmetics, but my under-the-sink-depository for all things that have no home.

I filled the garbage can, and felt 15 lbs lighter!

Today it was the boys' room. (EEEK!!) I have a complete dislike (loathing) for laundry. I don't mind the gather, sort, wash, dry, fold part. I detest the putting-it-away part!! Why? Well, it could be from having to jam clothes into drawers that are already bursting. Today, we found the solution!!

I employed the boys in the task of tossing out everything in their drawers (they loved this part) and going through each article of clothing, piece by piece. (The did not love this part) In the end, we filled (STUFFED) two laundry baskets with clothes they either can't wear or don't like anymore, and we filled another one with books they no longer want to read. We folded, labled and organized ourselves silly!

After my 3 mile run at the gym, we dropped off all our cast-aways at their repective donation-spots and can now enjoy drawers that not only have room for the clean clothes, but are now organized enough that we can SEE what we have.

Truly - I feel lighter!!

Next stop: The storage room!