Well, well, well. Spring has sprung, and with it comes that annual itch to fling open the windows, let the breeze in, and finally deal with the junk we’ve been pretending not to see all winter (maybe even longer). You know the stuff — that mysterious pile on the dining room chair, the drawer that won’t close anymore, and let’s not even talk about the linen closet.
Now that it’s just me and my husband (aka Mr. “We Might Need That Someday”), we’ve started the great purge. That’s right, we’re trying to downsize. Or at least reclaim some square footage that’s been buried since we moved into this house – that’s 10 years of “just in case” and “the kids might want that.” Spoiler alert: they don’t.
Let me tell you something. I didn’t realize we were running a halfway house for unmatched Tupperware lids and rogue charging cords from 2015. I found six remote controls in one drawer. We have three TVs. And don’t even get me started on the mug situation — apparently every place we visited since we have been married along with every Christmas and birthday was commemorated with a coffee mug.
I’ve adopted a new rule: If it’s covered in dust and hasn’t made me smile or served a purpose in the past couple of years, it’s OUT. I’m sure the kids aren’t even going to remember that Barney mug from 1997. At least I hope not – that thing is now in a landfill somewhere!
I tried to get Mr. Sentimental on board. He nodded earnestly… then tried to sneak an old camcorder and a stack of VHS tapes back into the “keep” pile. I told him unless one of those tapes contains footage of Elvis alive and well, they’re going to Goodwill.
To be fair, downsizing is more emotional than I expected. Some of these things hold memories, especially from when the kids were little. But I keep reminding myself — the memories aren’t in the objects. They’re in us. And the less time I spend dusting crap I don’t need, the more time we have to live this new chapter of our lives. Yes, I kept a few things that have always been near and dear to my life. I have the vase my daughter made me in preschool. It is now displayed proudly on our living room bookshelf. By holding onto fewer things, I am better able to display the ones I love the most.
So here we are, bagging up clothes, filling donation boxes, and arguing over whether or not we need 14 wine glasses when I’m the only one of us who drinks wine and I mostly prefer it straight from the bottle on the couch. (Classy, I know.)
It’s not about getting rid of everything — it’s about keeping what matters. And maybe making room for new things, like travel, hobbies, or heck, just the glorious sight of an empty shelf.
So if you’re spring cleaning this year, I’m raising my donation receipt to you. May your junk drawers be conquered, your closets be lighter, and your spouse learn the sacred art of just letting it go.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a suspicious bin in the garage that may or may not contain every (broken) Happy Meal toy ever manufactured. Wish me luck.