Moving: A Reason to Clean House!

I moved last Sunday and foolishly thought my home would be in order by today. Silly me! I am a sentimental grandma-wanna-be and continue to move things from pillar to post waiting to share with future generations. I am beginning to realize that everything is getting older, less attractive and sometimes, downright dirty so why am I keeping it?

When I moved, I saw boxes marked with "Children's Toys" and "Stuffed Animals." Keeping in mind that my own "baby" is 25, do I really think I will want to let a grandchild of mine actually touch one of their parent's old toys and potentially put it in their mouth? Of course not! But I cannot bear to part with these pieces of my/their past. I still have a box of "Donna's Old Doll Clothes" which holds precious items made by my grandmother for my little doll Barbara. Barbara bit the dust long ago. There is nothing more pathetic than an old rubber doll that sat in an attic too many years. She got sticky, brittle and even her little eyes looked as though they were afflicted with cataracts!

I helped my grandmother break up housekeeping almost 20 years ago and since that time I have continued to move my grandfather's old garden tools with me. Did I really think I might decorate my home with a scythe or dandelion picker? I also have his old metal hoe and an antique rake. Was I thinking I would turn my den into a Cracker Barrel motif?? I have found a place to hang my grandparent's Chinese Checker board and my uncle's small wooden bat is an heirloom I love.

There are just too many boxes to be sorted and yet I must stay the course! I have to make decisions. How many is ENOUGH candles? Do I think I will ever want to load those old computer programs again?? Why do I need How To manuals on programs that I used at jobs a decade ago? I did not keep the ex so why did I choose to keep that ceramic owl wedding gift?!

Worse yet is my fading optimism that I should keep those smaller sized clothes on the chance I will fit back into them while they are still in style. As I sorted through things this afternoon I recognized I have enough outgrown clothes to start my own thrift store, complete with coordinating shoes, purses and lingerie! Calgon, take me away!!!

There are so many things I had in storage that would have been helpful to the victims of Katrina and Rita. But I realize it is not too late to replenish the stock at any number of benevolent establishments. I am definitely in the mood to lighten my load and if I can just keep that attitude, I may soon be able to stop running the obstacle course each time to the front door. Wish me luck!! Better yet ... does anyone have a blowtorch??