Yesterday Bryce and I spent an hour or so going through our bedroom, at least the shelves in our bedroom, looking to get rid of things we don't necessarily need to hang onto so that we have space for the things we do want to treasure and hold.
Those shelves hold books, and it is always difficult to part with books. I am trying to be a sort of temporary-book-owner for some -- the ones that I know I won't reread again or want to have on hand to lend to someone who will feel infinitely better for having read it. But it's hard to clear out those shelves, even if the books go to a loving new home.
When we thought we might bring a baby home the next day, we decided to make good on our New Year's Intention to go room by room and clear things out because it will be one less thing to worry about if we have another last-minute profile opportunity. We will be able to fit all the baby stuff in our compact house no problem because we've streamlined. Also, we want to get the house in shape so that if another house comes up, like the one that came up not once but TWICE in the past two years and still isn't ours for the taking, we can just put our house on the market and move.
Both are lovely possibilities -- I've written before about how this house is a hobbit house and actively tries to damage Bryce's amazing brain through concussions sustained on the low ceilings and dormers, so the prospect of moving is very appealing (despite the amazing location and wonderful neighbors and awesome new kitchen). I would love to have my own office. I would love a garage to put my car so I don't have to clean off the snow at 7 a.m. I would love to have one closet, off the bedroom, where I can keep my clothing instead of having two closets, one upstairs and one down, because the closet space here is just stupid.
It's nice to think about clearing for a baby, or clearing so we have the freedom to move either after that baby comes or if it doesn't.
I would love to just say screw it and move sooner than later, but we'd have to do it around our homestudy so as not to incur extra expense. And I really would like to be able to use the current nursery we set up with so much love and hope, to have the chance to have a baby live in that space.
Because if we don't get to use that nursery, I want to move to a new house that never had one set up, that is a fresh start, that never saw me do an injection or miscarry on the couch or dust a nursery that sat idle for over a year. I'd like to see things through in this house, even as I type at a cluttered desk in the living room while dinner cooks 20 feet away and it's just a matter of time before Bryce's head sports a new goose egg.
And so we clean, and clear things out, to make space for whatever might come our way.
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Sounds like a really good plan! Make space for whatever is next. <3
ReplyDelete"I've written before about how this house is a hobbit house and actively tries to damage Bryce's amazing brain through concussions sustained on the low ceilings and dormers" -This cracked me up. Good luck with the purge. Getting rid of books is so hard. Even when I haven't read them in ages.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to find a new house at the moment and I have so much to clean up, clear up and box up; it's hard to know where to start. I've been looking at small houses, as we lost money in the crash on our current one, and I live in an expensive city, but I'm tired of thinking too frugally. Without mouths to feed, we can afford to live somewhere better than if we had two kids, say; and I think that should be our goal. I'd like to start to reap the advantages of there just being the two of us, now I'm almost 45. I want a gym room, and a sun room where I can read and write. I want silence, even if I used to be afraid my life would be too quiet. I live on the bloody traffic light junction of four insane roads: what was I thinking? Starting the search is overwhelming but I'm determined to get cracking. I think clearing things out also clears your head out. I used to fret about where we'd put a child in this little, noisy house we live in, and honestly it was liberating when I didn't have to worry about that any more, but now it really is time to get moving.
ReplyDeleteI would say that to welcome the new, we need to say bye to the old. Good luck with your plan!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea! And a new house and fresh start would be a great help if you end up going down that path.
ReplyDeleteI too am purging out the house to declutter and find some peace of mind. Our house is small and we have a lot of bodies (mostly furry), so I need to be more purposeful in storing only things I love and need. I'm trying to reform my pack-rat ways! Best of luck in your purging! Also, I think the idea you have about leaving the nursery behind (in the event you move forward childfree) in the old house and move into a new house is amazing. It is certainly a good way of taking a bold step forward and embracing your life without taking the reminders of the past along with you.
ReplyDeleteThat (cleaning and clearing) sounds like an excellent plan of action. I also love the idea of moving house as a way of beginning anew (and owie - poor Bryce!). Sending oodles of good downsizing energy to you (because that's much easier than tackling a similar project myself - LOL).
ReplyDeletePoor Bryce - Ouch!
ReplyDeleteI need to purge. We live in a reasonable sized house, and I'd like to be able to downsize. So good luck. Your self-discipline is inspiring.
I think too that you've also inspired me to think about a post about those unused baby rooms in our houses.
I like that idea; changing spaces if that's where life takes you. To get that fresh start in a new space. That you get to choose what you take with you and what you leave behind; both physically and emotionally.
ReplyDeleteWell, as you know, we downsized from a house to a condo last year, and had to do a major purge of our possessions. It all happened very suddenly (although I'd been doing a bit of purging here & there, thinking we might want to do this, someday...) -- so I think you are wise to start NOW if you have any inkling of moving & putting your house up for sale anytime soon! It was hard in many, many ways to part with so much of my precious stuff, all at once -- but I have to admit it was also kind of exhilarating to have a (almost) brand-new shiny place to move into, and leave behind that spare bedroom that was supposed to have been a nursery and that I kept meaning to fix up really nicely as a guest room but never did. :p
ReplyDeleteI moved last year and it was the best thing I could've done! Selling my children's house was more difficult than I thought it would be, but it wasn't any more difficult than living in the house I bought for my children when my children never came. I also had a nursery, and I also did many injections in that house. I love that our new place is half the size, doesn't have room for a nursery, and I have never done anything TTC-related here. I have to admit though, all of my books are still in storage. ;) I couldn't bear to part with them during the move last year; I was already dealing with enough. I will definitely go through my collection soon though and I'm hoping to donate at least half of them. Happy Cleaning and Clearing! <3
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