I’m not a very organized person. I’ll say that right off the bat. With our busy lives and packed schedules, I’m often flying by the seat of my pants. We make it work, but if you came to my house, you’d see a whole lot of “stuff.” I don’t get rid of anything to make room for new things. And in this house, it’s kid stuff, top to bottom.
When I had my first child, we received tons of gifts. My friends and family were so kind and generous. We also were given a large amount of hand-me-downs from other families as their little girls grew. I had so much fun dressing up my little baby in all of these clothes and shoes! And of course, every holiday needed a special themed outfit. It was as if I had my own little doll to dress up, and the clothing options were endless. Then came birthdays, and holidays, and “just because” days when the toys flowed in. I like to joke that my house looks like FAO Schwartz, but there’s more truth there than I care to admit!
As my daughter got older, her preferences in toys and sizes in clothes changed. I knew we were going to have at least one more child, and we’d need those things again. I tried to pack them in big plastic tubs and label them once she outgrew them, but there was just so much. My husband would get annoyed with all the “stuff” everywhere, but I kept reminding him we would need it when we had baby #2. And then 3 3/4 years after my first daughter was born, my second sweet little girl showed up
At this point, we had acquired SO much stuff – toys, clothes, shoes, jackets, full seasons of outfits from her older sister plus bags and bags from my niece who is two years older than our new sweet baby. To say we didn’t need to buy any clothes or toys for our new girl was the understatement of the century. Mix in all of the gifts you’re given when you have a baby, and you end up with what I’m surrounded by now. Baby clothes. Baby shoes. Baby toys. Everywhere.
Our “new” baby is now almost 4. Our family is complete. We do not need these items anymore. I’ve given away many things to friends and acquaintances who have baby girls, as well as donated to local charities. And somehow, there’s more. Every time I go through the bins, I’ll remember one of my girls in an outfit, and I’ll pause, and put it back in. Everything I touch is a memory.
But keeping all of these memories have left me with a house full of clutter. And so it’s time. I’ll fill the bags. I’ll bring them somewhere so they can get to some families who really need them. And I’ll keep the memories, but lose the clutter. My daughters need room to grow and play, not reminisce. That’s what my memories are for. And pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.
