34-- The Year of the Purge

Another year, another candle... And man-- What a year it has been!! I think I might FINALLY be a real adult! HAHAHAHAHHA...

In the past year I have conquered the frustrating world of US Immigration, survived one of the worst school years of my career, made it through 8 mo. of pregnancy on my own, given birth to the most beautiful girl in the world, refinanced my mortgage, cleared all debt, and have now filed my first claim on my homeowner's insurance...

Every year on my birthday I make a plan for the upcoming year-- the way people do on New Year's. This birthday "Yearlong Theme" then ties in with any resolutions I make 2 months later... A few years ago I decided to stop being afraid of everything-- to live fearlessly... This was the year I got engaged and married-- after a crazy, wild 2 years of transatlantic communication. Last year I vowed to take better care of myself. This worked out well as I was constantly at various Drs during the pregnancy. I certainly overcame many of my medical fears during the past year!

This year is going to be about organization. Pardon my french, but I have GOT to get my shit together! When I moved to the house I am in now, I had to go through and purge a LOT! However, I was still very emotional about my mom's passing and all of her belongings... So I really brought a BUNCH of stuff I don't need, will never use, and don't really even know what it is. I have purged a lot during the last 7 years of being here... but I still have TOO MUCH STUFF! And in addition to that-- the stuff I have is NOT well organized.

(**Note: I am NOT a hoarder-- please no one recommend me for the show on A&E**)
;-)

NOW you add on all the baby paraphenelia-- oy! Plus Hubby, of course, brought stuff with him. (Luckily it wasn't a LOT as he was moving across the Atlantic... but still...)

I've always had a lot of STUFF... My bedroom growing up was super cluttered-- but it was my prized possessions! Being surrounded by these treasures made me feel safe and secure. (This is probably why I clung to my mom's things for so long...) But now I feel suffocated by these things... Drowning.

I'm not saying I want to get rid of EVERYTHING... But the purge will continue-- and with greater intensity this time!

Picture Pages

More pictures from this week-- it's been quite productive!

Closet-- AFTER I purged about 3/4 of the stuff in there!

Purged closet items ready for donation! WOO!

The closet wasn't the only thing that got organized-- the nursery is also taking shape!

Needless to say, I have been EXHAUSTED since these two projects... I pretty much put myself on bedrest yesterday-- feeling MUCH better today. I have some chores to take care of, but nothing nearly this strenuous. I am looking forward to finishing up the nursery (last baby shower tomorrow, and shelves up once daddy gets here on Tuesday!)

Merci!

Therapy Time! Make sure to LINK UP at The Daily Dribbles if you play....

• To a so-called "good friend"-- REALLY?! Do you honestly think that I am SO stupid that I don't know you are lying to me left and right? See the problem with lying is, once you tell one, you have to tell another, and then another to cover your tracks. And Einstein-- when you tell me one thing, then all our mutual friends the complete opposite-- do you REALLY think I won't hear about it? Do you want to be found out or are you just that bad at lying? I have gone OUT OF MY WAY for you over the last several years-- and for what? To be treated this way? I realize you are in some sort of identity-crisis-can't-find-myself phase of life-- but here's some advice from someone older and MUCH wiser-- DO NOT piss off every friend you have-- every person who has ever been there for you when no one else was... Beacause soon (VERY SOON) you will need those people and guess what? They won't be there this time because you have treated them like SHIT! Do NOT come crying to me next time-- because honestly, I am done! I do NOT care! This is the choice YOU made-- you have to learn for yourself. But in order to do that, I suggest you get your head out of your egotistical ass (not EVERYTHING is about you, by the way-- other people have stress and drama to deal with in theor own lives-- you would know this if you ever took 5 minutes to ask someone how THEY are instead of instantly dumping all YOUR problems on them...) and take a look around-- it's starting to look like a lonely place for you.

Whoa... that felt good!

• To myself-- Why in the heck did you let the closet get so out of control? You seriously have to do better about this!
• To the HEAT-- really? Is this necessary? mid-eighties to 90s... You're killing me! I absolutely DREAD the thought of waddling across the parking lot at the Dr today... HUMPH!
• To the kitchen counter-- why must you always be cluttered? Why? Same goes for you Mr. Dresser! and Dust-- WTF?! GO AWAY!

The Monster in my Closet

So where was I yesterday? IN THE CLOSET most of the day... I have been clearing things out, little by little... 2 or 3 bags to the thrift store here and there. I REALLY thought I was doing good... UNTIL I got it in my head that what I needed to do was take EVERYTHING out of the closet, sort through, clear out, and then rearrange... HOLY COW!

As I removed things yesterday, I went through, bagging up what I was getting rid of... throwing away any trash, or treasures I no longer wanted. I still don't have EVERYTHING out (mainly shoes left), but I do have 3 bags of trash, and 6 BIG bags of stuff to donate! Oy! And I am STILL not sure there will be room for Hubby and his clothes... Hopefully he won't bring much!  ;-)

Before

Keepers stayed on the bed... Cleo made sure they had ample cat hair

OK, I admit... I have a sock addiction... (sigh) I filled OVER half of a large black trash bag with socks to donate... It was hard, but the way I figure... now I have room for NEW fun socks!

Possibly the only thing I have more of than socks, is hangers! As God as my witness- I'll never buy hangers again!


Mr. Sneaky here! Carl camoflauges himself... You can't see me!

So this AM I am back to work... gotta get all the shoes out, vacuum, move some stuff around... then start reloading the closet. I will do my very best to rope off a section for the hubby...

AND, after today's Dr. appt, it's time to move this organizational party downstairs to the nursery! WOOHOO!

LET'S DO THIS!!