Time to CLEAN!

OKAY, OKAY -- so I did say I was going to clean lots of closets this summer. Why does the "spirit of toss" not kick in until the week before school starts? I decided the month of June would be all about catching up with my family and I did. I wanted to do SUPERKIDS in July and I did. NOWWWWWW -just as it's 'bout time to get back to school --- I get the urge to sort and organize. As I was getting my boxes and baskets I had moved home in May cleared out of my office to head back to school, I discovered you could see the floor once again -- I decided it was time to CLEAN IT!

Earlier this summer our daughter, Bethany, said, "Mom I'm glad you're going to do a major toss this summer, but you'd better start on your office." At that I got pretty defensive -- "that's everything I use for my projects and my teaching" -- at that she rolled her eyes as only a child of mine can and gave a huge sigh.

I tackled my closets first -- there were sewing utensils, banner fabric and notions for the ones we made for church 3 or 4 years ago, scrapbooking supplies and a bazillion other things. I decided it was okay to part with the boxes of various crafts my mother had started and I somehow couldn't part with when we divided my parents things six years ago -- I made "an ennormous donation bag" of these craft items -- does anybody out there cross stitch or make dolls any more?

I had worked up a big steam by then and decided to go after my bookshelves. WHERE did all these books come from? --- I made a toss stack and a "can't part with this one yet stack" I don't consider myself an avid reader -- I would have to say I am an impressioned reader. (I just coined a new phrase). My keeper books are the ones that in my adult years have left a lasting impression on me and taught me something significant. I COULDN'T see myself parting with these "old friends".
There were my fiction ones, our marriage workshop books, my personal improvement books, various editions of my textbooks and educational theory books, my sudoku books, inspirational books, and Bible study notebooks. My later books are highlighted and underlined - marked with notes at the ideas I wanted to remember.

I was feeling pretty confident -- I had a sizeable toss pile and made the mistake of looking through it a second time -- "oh, can't part with THAT one -- remember what I learned from it" -- or -- "I might need this one in a mentoring session -- it could be a good referral for someone else." (There were parenting books from the early 1970's. Has childrearing changed since then?)

I woke up this morning remembering all the books I have upstairs AND those sitting in baskets by my favorite chairs AND the ones on end tables where I like to read. Needless to say -- I didn't cull many books . . . oh well, I'll leave that for my kids to deal with someday.