Operation

I have failed.  I have felt like I’ve failed for a while now.  This time I can actually admit it.

There has been a raging battle in my house for somewhere around 12 years.  It started around when I first was learning appraising and working my normal job with two kids.  Before the third kid was born, I had my own company.  Shortly after the fourth kid I was working entirely too much.  And my house suffered.  I just had less time to clean the house up.

I always cherish how I had my children.  I wanted the kids this close together.  I wanted them to always have each other thru life, to be there for each other, and to be friends with each other.  This is a lifetime gift that I wanted them to enjoy.  This also meant that we had years of overlapping childhood stages.

My oldest was 4 years old (a few months from 5) when my youngest of four was born.  So we never put away the “baby” stuff really.  Baby stuff was in the house consistently.  Then toddler stuff was in the house consistently.  I got used to the “stuff”.  We saved “stuff” for the next kid.  And the next kid got their own gifts and more “stuff”.

I am as much to blame.  I have bought “stuff” on clearance because we would use it some time.  And better to buy it cheaper, right?  I have bought “stuff” in bulk because it was cheaper.  Stuff. Stuff. Stuff.  Too much Stuff.

I’ve known there is too much stuff for awhile now.  And I’ve tried to take care of it.  I’ve asked for help here and there.  But, I’m the mom.  The mom is supposed to keep the house up, right?  Wrong.  This is a one against five game.  And I lose.

The kids have their chores and their rooms to clean.  But it is overwhelming to them at times.  I get it.  It is overwhelming to me too!  There would be less to clean with less stuff.

Today we had a family meeting.  Operation Take Back the House is being planned.  This is different from spring cleaning or sorting for a garage sale.  This operation has the mindset of minimalism.  Because that is what we need!!  The “stuff” in this house is a weight.  It is no longer a blessing.  So it needs to leave.

Operation Take Back the House will be a weekend attack strategy.  We are starting this weekend with a trip to the laundromat.  There is so much laundry . . . everywhere.  Honestly, I had given up on the laundry room.  I get the laundry done and people bring down baskets and baskets more.  All of the laundry going to the laundromat will not return!  We will bring trash bags.  After being washed, dried, and folded, the favorite clothes will go back in a basket.  All the others will be bagged and taken to Goodwill immediately.  (Unless anyone out there would like some clothes.  Please let me know!  The clothes just cannot come back to this house!)  The other day I was doing laundry and I found a pair of boy pants size 3T.  Do you want to know how long it has been since my boys fit a 3T?  Years, it has been years.  Where were these pants?  And why did they resurface now?

After this weekend, Operation Take Back the House will focus on one room per weekend.  We understand that this will be months long to complete.  But this entire house will be gone thru, basement to attic.  We will work together as a family and go thru every corner of a room, removing all items that are not necessary.

I have been following some minimalism sites for a while for inspiration on this.  Some of it seems pretty extreme.  We won’t go too extreme.  But I read an article yesterday morning about a woman who did something similar.  The part that stuck was how much more free she felt when she was done.  This woman went thru her house herself.  Mine would take me forever, unless I could freeze life while I worked.  But I want that free feeling.  I don’t want to always be organizing and sorting and picking up.  We NEED less stuff in our lives in this house!

This is huge for me.  I have been borderline hoarder on some things for quite some time.  Recently I’ve referred to myself as a recovering pack-rat.  But it is time to tip the scale to the complete other direction now.  I feel buried under this stuff.  And I want out of it.

Tonight I am thankful for a team effort in this house to make this happen!  The troops have been briefed on our mission and on our first plan of attack is in motion!  I can’t wait to be on the other side of all this!  From “Financial Peace” authored by Dave Ramsey; we are adding “Stuff Peace” soon to be authored by Our Sanity!!  This is WAR!!