I don't write a lot about my husband, Mark. He's actually my mirror opposite (and perfect match). His best quality, other than being an amazing Dad to Ally and Maddie, and an attractive successful attorney, is that he knows how to live a simple life. And ...
His attention to domestic detail is very impressive.
Hands down he not only wins the neat freak contest but should make the rules. He's that good. And in our nearly five years of marriage he's taught me a lot about keeping an organized home life.
Warning, ladies...jealousy alert... While many of my girlfriends can't get their guys to lift a hand, mine is miles ahead of me when it comes to keeping our house all together. (Yes, he even does laundry - cleans, folds and puts away. I know, I'm pretty damn lucky.)
For Mark, simple = minimal stuff. So, this holiday I decided with 4 weeks off from work, I'd go corner to corner in our 3,000 square foot home and eliminate things and make better use of our space. I wanted to show him that while I am an efficient corporate gal and mom, I would be up to the challenge of simplifying our home.
And so the Great Purge has been on...
It started with Ally's room which transformed into 4 bins of clothing, 3 bags of toys and getting rid of all the remaining baby stuff. That turned into the idea that we ought to create a toy room upstairs (replacing the gym that never got used since this runner chick likes the open road.) And, after 10 years of letting it collect dust, I got lucky and was able to sell (yes, sell) my dreadmill for $50. The couple who bought it even came to pick it up. All in all my baby stuff purging netted me $500 cash money!
Then I aimed for my office. That project is still underway. We went through our master closet and my running closet. Yes, I have a running closet. Oh heavens! I must have had 100 shirts, 30 pairs of shorts, and 3 pairs of shoes I don't even use.
Next up? The kitchen and the garage. At some point I will make my way outside and we will actually fund some of our home improvement projects.
It's been ... pretty awesome.
It's amazing how comfortable we get with life.
And in a year, and sometimes over several years time, we carry around extra things, stuff, people, bad habits, stress, burdens, ...you fill in the blank here _______. And when you have a lot of things that weigh you down, how can you see the bright light that illuminates clarity and purpose?
Yes, sometimes it's just good to have a big purge...to start fresh.
You certainly can't reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday's junk.
What do you need to rid yourself of? What things can you give up? give out?
Happy New Year, my friends. I hope 2014 is the year for you to purge the extra, let go, and seize life!
