kick myself

I could just kick myself. Why didn't I get rid of all this stuff at the other end rather than pay for it all to be moved. The reason is my girl friends who are very good at the sort and toss are all up here.

I went through all the clothes lying on the floor of my bedroom with no closet space left. We kept maybe 10%. My girlfriend's teenage daughter has a great sense of style and a similar long torso build to mine. She cold hearted told me what was old or dated or too small or too short. Tops that I had for years were tossed. Many of my old shirts were stained or had shrunk from years of washing. I was amazed what little passed inspection. It was a wonderful purge. I can't wait to have them back for more.

My shape has changed with time. Much of my wardrobe just doesn't fit the same as when I bought the clothes years ago. Tom ought to be proud that I can fit these clothes and that I still have them. I look at it as a sign of frugality not hoarding. It is time to purge though when I realize some of this stuff I have been wearing since Riley was a baby, over 15 years ago. I can't go around looking that dated.

We also tackled the linens, another great weakness of mine. Again, we purged old and stained and ratty. I think of all the sweat and money I poured out to get this stuff up here. If only I could have done this months ago. Partly it is the convenience of being in the neighborhood so I can get the advice and help. This particular friend should go into business as an organizer. She is amazing.

She has just had an organizer come to her own house. I was surprised to hear about how much stuff they found to purge. I felt her house was already under control. I was open to all suggestions she had learned. There is just so much to do and sort. It is much easier to advise someone to give up their stuff when you have no personal or vested interest in the things. There is a talent in not offending yet getting the job done.

This woman was from out of town. She makes $55 an hour in Seattle. She has packed up households condemned for eminent domain when the airport expanded and the people had to move. She has moved offices when businesses relocate. She has worked with hoarders. My friends accuse me of being a hoarder. I will purge and toss to lose that title.

One of my girlfriends told me she was staying away until I had it all under control. She didn't want to be roped in to help me. It over whelmed her just to think about it.

I was able to convince my girlfriend that would help me to take a trundle bed that had been left in the garage of the new house. The bed had a big board attached to the side. I suggested she remove the board which would lighten the bed and make it fit nicely under her spare bed for an extra bed when company comes. I already have plenty of beds and mattresses. I definitely didn't need it.Trevor was called out to rmove the screws holding on the decorative board. Once the board was removed from the trundle, she was delighted with the find.

That is half the fun of helping out a friend, finding the treasures, then passing on to someone who will use them, and does want the neat finds. Of course I try and explain that the helpers also have to take everything offered just to get it out of my house. They can get rid of it later, just have it gone please.

We load up the mini van each time with a goodwill run and treasutres I don't want anymore. Steady progress is made. When the van is full we can quit for the day.

So we continue to sort through the morass of boxes. Tom offers to rent a dumpster. He has no sensitivity for this chore. That is half the problem. He is so cold hearted about it as to be careless. There are a few items that are real treasures. I don't want to lose those real treasures. Last time he helped I found the boys' birth certificates in the garbage. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not what we are trying to accomplish.

I just want a fresh start, a beautiful tidy house.

The handy man is coming this morning to bid the wall for Riley's room and moving the laundry upstairs. My mom said this house has no storage. I am going to change that opinion. I want to find out the cost of a five foot wall with closet and doorway. How much for flipping the plumbing to make a laundry upstairs. Can we get 220 power to that room easily? At least I would have a closet upstairs in the worst case scenario.

Riley's room will shrink by five feet with the new closet and the hallway continuing to the end of the house. I would confiscate his gigantic walk in closet, six feet by eight feet for either the laundry or for a closet for me.

I bought these cool closet organizer systems at Home Depot. The rods hang on the wall and make the shelves adjustable. I am thrilled with the results. Tom had to hang one set as I could not locate a stud for the brackets to hang on, even with a stud finding tool. He told me it was a funky wall. I saw that he had put almost as many holes in the wall as I did while searching. It made me feel better to know it wasn't just me. The wall was funky. Already, with the closet rods up, huge progress is being made.

Progress everywhere, in every room. That is what I like to see. If only I could snap my fingers and be done. Really, though, I am amazed at the quick progress I am making, all but the books. Somewhere I have packed the new books Tom wants to read. I have looked in the boxes and have yet to find where I packed them. I don't like the set up for the book shelves so am hesitant to unpack the books. Besides it is another area to sort and toss. I want to tackle the clothes and linens first. I need my clothes out of the boxes.

The laundry is just not working for me downstairs. The piles are out in the open and just a mess., visible all the time. No where to hide anything. The lack of pantry to the kitchen is a pain also. That laundry closet just makes the most sense as a pantry and having the laundry upstairs is a no brainer. Our last house has the laundry upstairs by the bedrooms where the laundry is created and accumulated.

The rooms for the boys would also be more equitable. I love the thought of a linen closet at the end of the hall. Just a few modern tweeks will make this house perfection.

Enough talking, time to motivate. Sort and toss and put away.