Out With The Old, In With The New..

I’m a fairly neurotic human being. (Anal? Compulsive? Obsessive?) I need everything to be in its place. If everything is NOT in its place, I have a difficult time accomplishing anything. (And I’m not talking brain surgery, I have difficulty accomplishing the mundane tasks of the day…getting breakfast ready, helping the kiddos with homework, that type of thing.)
Generally, I jokingly describe our home as a pig sty if there’s a load of laundry left to sort. However, our clutter rating has reached an all time high. In fact, the house has morphed into an obstacle course. Those practicing for an Iron Man Competition could train strategically in our hallways. Hard to get a running start in our closet, wade through the clothes piles, hurdle the books, push on despite the fact you stick to our kitchen floor. Bound up the stairs hoping not to trip to your death on the roller skates and winter boots midway to the top. Good luck sprinting through the kids’ rooms – if you can even identify them as places of rest. (Which I doubt, because the beds are hidden beneath ginormous mounds of blocks, Barbies and stuffed animals. ) The hallways are trails of dirty clothes, strewn off one article at a time en route to the shower. (And we won’t even talk about the icky bathroom situation!) You get my point.
Unable to breath in the midst of the clutter, I declared –between my hyperventilating gasps- Spring Cleaning Week! On Monday, I began with the master closet—the goal being to reach the girls’ rooms by Friday. As I began to organize, I pledged to give away anything I hadn’t used in a year. OHMYSTARS! Let’s just say my give-away-pile included T-shirts from the ‘80’s. I found a maternity skirt from 9 years ago in the back of my closet. Along with a bikini circa 1994 (pre-births…I tossed the bikini, setting my expectations a tad lower than the apparently drug-induced Leigh who thought she might don the suit once again at some point. Oy.)
I did, however, discover a necklace I had secretly blamed the girls for losing years ago. Stuffed in the bottom of an old canvas work-out bag pocket. (Happy!)
I moved on to the bathroom cabinets and promptly tossed cold medicine that expired in the early 90’s. (We apparently moved…twice…packing up expired medication along with our furniture, etc. )
The kitchen was full of memories – the sheer number of plastic tumblers, Derby glasses, and mugs was mind-boggling. I found five baby aspirators in a shelf above the refrigerator. (The Bug and the Pea were mesmerized listening to the whole sucking-snot-out-of-a-baby’s-nostrils process. Of which they immediately had to try out on each other. Ewwww.)
I have to admit it was cathartic organizing the guest a.k.a. play room. I purchased plastic containers from Wal-Mart and separated Barbie doll items into like piles. Tiny pots, pans, spoons, ketchup and mustard holders. Tiny strappy sandals, handbags, brushes, powder and soap. (Thank you Aunt Shelly!) The dress-up basket got a good purging. (Shhh! Nothing we need to mention to the Bug and the Pea.)
Next on the list was switching out winter clothes for summer clothes. (Or, as I like to call it, “Christmas in April!”) I pulled out the giant plastic containers of hand-me-downs from the attic. Huge thanks to M and A and J for the stash. (I take a special, euphoric kind of joy in actually snipping the price tags off of “hand me down” brand name clothing. I love you J!)
I cleaned out the girls’ dresser drawers and closets. (For the love of all that’s good – why were size 2T princess panties still in the underwear drawer?) I love hanging up the “new” and “new to us” spring clothes in their closets.
I made four separate runs to charity this week with clothes and toys and books that will hopefully brighten someone’s (or several someones’) day.
My goal of uncluttering the entire house was a bit aggressive for one week. And I’m still plowing away (quite literally) before I head outside to tidy the garage.
Soon the time will come for the traditional Spring Cleaning – washing windows, dusting ceiling fans, etc. Not to mention the dishes and laundry that have piled up during my “closet organizing” week. Nevertheless, out with the old, in with the new…or at least, in with the clean!
Perhaps once the house is in order, I’ll be able to concentrate, without hyperventilating in the midst of clutter. This may be the year I write a spectacular children’s story that will eventually be published and even awarded the Newberry! (Hey, I figure, dream big!)
As I write this, I am breathing in the fragrance of Bradford pear tree blossoms. Daffodils are in full bloom around me and cotton candy clouds (well, actually they resemble Dr. Seuss characters) are drifting across an azure blue sky. The Bug and the Pea have set up their “secret clubhouse” on the porch, and I have been told in no uncertain terms NOT to listen to their private conversations. They are zooming up and down the driveway. First on scooters, then bikes, then roller skates. Their innocent little selves couldn’t care less about a clean house. What they have is much more important—a clean heart. My Bible Study group (a shout out to you lovely ladies!) came across Psalm 51 last week. A song written when King David messed up, royally. (No pun intended.)
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. (Psalm 51: 10-12)This is my fervent prayer, especially on Easter morning when we remember the resurrection of our Savior. And our part – out with the old, sinfully cluttered self – in with the new – or at least the clean, forgiven, saved self.
Sincere wishes for a blessed Easter Sunday, full of clean hearts and the restored joy of our salvation.
Praise be to God.