Getting Practical

Last week I reluctantly admitted the need for another "nesting" project:  get practical!   After realizing that it would be much easier (and more appropriate) to eliminate some stuff instead of try to make room for it, I determined to go through Abel and Amariah's clothing and toys and minimize!

I started this project a couple days ago as I went through all the kids' clothes, packing away the "keep" things they've recently outgrown and removing the "give away" things they have never worn and never will.  Let me say, this process of eliminating can be difficult for me.  I am so frugal that I err on the side of clinging too tightly to my possessions--including the things I don't even like that much--thinking that I am saving us money and being practical by "making do" with what we have.  This can be a good quality to some extent, I think; but at the point where I'm holding on to things that we truly don't need, it becomes impractical.  Anyway, that being said, I was quite proud of myself when I observed the final results:  two dressers full of clothing consolidated into one and one laundry basket overflowing with clothing to give away!  The final step in the clothing portion of this project is for Travis to install another clothes rack in Abel and Amariah's closet.  Then I will officially have all of their clothing in one dresser and one closet!

The toy portion of my project didn't go as well (if "well" is judged by the number of things eliminated). :-)  With a still growing family, I found the idea of actually getting rid of some toys to be very difficult.  So, probably delaying the inevitable (i.e. the need to reduce the toy collection), I ended up re-distributing and re-organizing toys instead of eliminating some.  I did decide on a few larger toy items that I could part with fairly easily if I need to, but I guess I've decided to revisit this part of the project as it becomes necessary.

With a now toy-free nursery and empty dresser, I couldn't resist the urge to take the next step in preparing for our babies.  Before all was said and done, I ended up carrying the changing table and storage tub full of infant girl clothing up two flights of steps by myself (something a pregnant lady maybe shouldn't have done--later that night I realized I had re-aggravated an old sports injury (a torn groin muscle) when I suddenly pulled up lame and hardly able to walk!  But, no worries!  All was better after a good night's rest.)  Needless to say, the dresser and changing table are now stocked with the contents of that storage tub, and I can occasionally be found peering into the room and thinking about just what (or should I say who) it is that I'm preparing for. :-)