Getting My PURGE On

I think I may have forgotten how to blog. Or maybe its that my ability to multi-task on so many different levels has lead to the recent demise of my time to sit and blog? Whatever the reason, I feel like I am busy all the time, and STILL, my ability "to do it all" comes up short.

This feeling of scatteredness and mayhem has spawned an intense desire for organization. I like to have things neat and tidy to begin with, but it has further prompted me to open my filing cabinets at the house and at work, in order to organize and purge unnecessary paperwork that I've been holding on to for far too long. Richard has also mentioned said that he wants/needs to get our "Systems" binder updated with general company information, templates, etc. updated at the office - I do the bookkeeping for his company. So I've been going through....making notes....labeling....shredding....filing....and throwing away.

Last week, I decided that I was so tired of looking at my shelf of jumbled purses, that I pulled down all of my totes, handbags and carry-alls from the closet and laid them out on the bathroom floor. I let them sit there for about a week (we have a large bathroom) and took time to think about which ones I would really hate to get rid of, over which ones I couldn't stand to part with. Lastnight I put about seven purses in the pile for a garage sale and put the rest neatly back away. It felt really good!! Now, I'm sure that Richard would say that I really only need one or two good purses....but he's also a dude, and dudes only wear brown shoes, black shoes, and a pair of tennis shoes, right?

This week I've worked on cleaning out my filing cabinets at work. I have decided to essentially "go paperless" with the bookkeeping functions, wherever it's possible to do so. I've been scanning documents, policies, and information into the system, and as soon as my shiny red external hard drive is delivered this afternoon....the heavens will open and the angels will sing! The idea is to have a system where I scan the information into my handy-dandy computer and save myself time, space, and energy by not having to create or pull paper files. Maybe once the rest of the crew sees how it works they will jump on board....maybe.

Some of my neighbors are going to do a garage sale in a month or so, which is also helping me to get my purge on here at the house. There is sooooo much stuff that doesn't get used, has been grown out of, or has just rendered itself useless, and all this crappola just needs to move out and find a new residence! Whether it's old board games, PURSES, wicker baskets, clothes, dishes, or my seldom used elliptical machine....I NEED LESS. Maybe if I really make a giant push to get A LOT of stuff moved out, I'll be able to save a nice little wad-o-cash for our big summer road trip!? And who doesn't love a little extra dough in the pocketbook!

On days when I feel completely overwhelmed by the multitude of things that need to be done, it gives me a sense of comfort knowing that some little part of my "world" has been cleaned, organized, and purged. It is also comforting to know that I am among the masses who share this same feeling of grappling for a sense of harmony.

Where Did the Time Go?

Talk about "taking a break", during the whole month of December I never got a single post uploaded onto my blog. There were a several drafts, but somewhere into my second or third paragraph I would get sidetracked and never get refocused enough to return and finish. ....Kinda like my kids and cleaning their rooms. :)


I won't do one of those lame, blow-by-blow, regurgitations on how life unfolded with each passing day through my lapse in blogging, but I will say that December was a whirlwind. A whirlwind of activities and parties for the kids, school plays and events, house guests for over two weeks solid, a house BURSTING at the seams on Christmas day, and a bazillion other things in between. It was wonderful, exhausting, and memorable all at the same time.


One of the biggest treats that we enjoyed over the Christmas break was the time that we got to spend with family. My sister-in-law, niece, and nephew drove in from Arizona and spent a few days with us. I've been estranged from my brother for a few years now, so being able to spend time with them was HUGE! The kids were all so excited to be together that they played and played for the duration of the visit with nothing but boisterous childhood silliness and countless hours of playing outside. We were sad to see them go, but feel so blessed to have had the quality time together!


Getting back into the swing of things today is going to be hard. After having two weeks to undo habits of getting to bed on time and waking up with the alarm clock, the kids will surely cross the threshold this afternoon cranky and near tears. I had intended to start easing them back into the routine a few days ago....but clearly THAT didn't happen! So we'll just make the best of it for the next couple of days and extend a little extra grace when fatigue and exhaustion get a little overwhelming.


I haven't really put much thought into any New Year's Resolutions for myself, other than the annual plight to get myself back in shape, and undo the last several months of no exercise and bad eating. Blah, blah, BLAH!! As a couple, Richard and I are really going to make a big push to finally get the last of our debt completely behind us this year. And just to clarify, the term "completely" means everything except the house and car. We got to this point last year and generally maintained our position, so we are ready to make the hard push to get it finished. Of course, this resolve is already being put to the test as we watch several of our friends/neighbors get new flooring, counter tops, and other "big ticket" home improvement purchases that we've longed to invest into our own home. Oh well....WE'VE GOTTA STAY FOCUSED!!


Wishing you a very VERY Happy New Year!