Closets

This will be a boring post - but I have to tell EVERYONE (and most especially my sister K.) that I spent the MAJORITY OF THE DAY cleaning out the study closet! Deciding that I couldn't really work on the surfaces of my desk until I tackle the REAL albatross around my neck that's needed serious culling for YEARS. So I did it - took out EVERYTHING and culled and sorted. Have a GIANT bin of Goodwill items; took out tray after tray of recycling; two bags of trash. It's the 'wrapping paper/box/tissue/ribbons/miscellaneous' closet and there apparently was a time when I was sure we would have a critical shortage of wrapping paper; gift boxes; greeting cards; notebooks; etc. Thankfully, J. arrived home after his MRI and has been hugely helpful in carting things out to the recycle and trash bins. It's been quite a job....but it looks FANTASTIC!

AND I found a treasure: my Winnie the Pooh teapot! It's been 'missing' for quite awhile - we purchased it on a trip to The Magic Kingdom years ago and had it shipped directly here. Couldn't risk transporting it ourselves 'cuz it's that special....and there it was - still in the box. Perfectly perfect condition and I (still) love it to pieces. Must have just tucked it up in the closet until I had a place to keep it - so we may have purchased it before we even had our dining room set (which was the last thing we purchased furniture wise for the house). Now I have to make room in the hutch - but I'll find a place. And the hutch and sideboard are two things I spent considerable time culling earlier this week - so I'm sure there's room in there somewhere.

And, ironically, during this winter break, I've started to enjoy cups of hot tea during the day. Celestial Seasons peppermint is currently my favorite....so I can't wait to brew a pot of tea in my cute teapot tomorrow!!

I also made progress on my bedroom closet - still have work to do on that but will be heading upstairs shortly to continue - ESPECIALLY while I'm 'in the mood' to just let stuff go. Seriously...there's so much 'stuff' that I just look at and think 'why did I think I should save this'? Or, in the case of clothes, I know I haven't worn it in years and probably won't - in fact, I've finally parted with an outfit I purchased in the late 80's - a shirt and a little jacket that I got for $10 (total) - and I HAVE worn it - but it's time to let it go. As much as I love some of my clothes, there are ALWAYS new clothes I will love just as much. And I have plenty of things to wear....

It feels so great to get stuff cleaned out! My only regret is that we only have the remainder of this week to continue...and then it's back to the day-to-day drudge that makes projects like this so hard to wedge in. We've made a lot of progress and will continue to work over the next four days and see how far we can get.

I feel so proud of us - we've had the intentions of doing all this for a really long time and it feels so great to FINALLY DO IT.

Now hoping I can embrace that same philosophy and approach for getting into some kind of exercise program in the new year. Here's hoping!