I love spring cleaning. Not dusting or vacuuming, per se - those tasks are for the birds; but getting rid of things we no longer need. I just love throwing away things, even if weeks later I realize that, in actuality, we do need the trashed items. Oops!
For years, I've donated items to Savers or Salvation Army or have taken bags to the dump after a productive condo cleanse. Last year, I was introduced to Poshmark, which is a site where you can sell (and buy) items from your closet or home that you no longer want or need. Think of it as an online tag sale. If we're not going to use it, why not give it to others (and maybe get some money for it)?
I love the idea of turning our very comfortable lived-in home into a Love It or List It final reveal, where no evidence of residents is anywhere to be found. Everything has a place and it's always magazine picture ready. We're never at that place for long, if at all. I try my best though.
What is it about airing out the house on a nice day that fills me with energy to empty out a closet just to put everything back in using some weird method like color coded or casual vs fancy? On days when we should be outside taking advantage of the nice weather, those are the days when I'm typically struck with the motivation and energy to take on this sometimes overwhelming task.
This past weekend, I tackled the closet of an eleven-year-old. Jesus, take the wheel.
Not only has no one gone through this closet in months, but the owner of said closet has (accidentally) pulled down the hanging bar and top shelf. There is very little space to actually put clothes to ensure it stays clean and organized. This particular closet is the largest in the house and has acted as a catch-some for months. Enough was enough. I had to bite the bullet and clean this sucker out.
With a little help from a Dave Matthews Band concert made available during quarantine, I emptied each pile onto the bed, looked at the sizes and quality of each item, refolded what was salvageable and returned those items into the closet. Clothes that were too small or trash went into different piles - reminiscent of that old TLC show Clean Sweep with the keep, sell and trash piles on tarps on the front lawn.
There's now a short sleeve t-shirt pile, a long sleeve shirt pile, a school uniform pile, a sweatshirts and sweaters pile, drawers for underwear and socks, pajamas, pants, bathing suits, shorts, and miscellaneous accessories like belts. For the time being, dresses are folded and slung on top of a plastic drawer organizer. We still need to revisit this closet and make it...not so embarrassing to look at.
Regardless how long it lasts - the organization and the clutter-free atmosphere - I felt good, accomplished, and productive. Maybe I'm extra proud of my work because I've got nothing else going on (unemployed and coming out of a pandemic stay-at-home order). Whatever the reason, I'm letting this feeling stay with me longer than usual. There are plenty more opportunities for this feeling - the bathroom linen closet, the basement, the game closet, the trunk of my car.
The opportunities are endless because once I've finally reached the bottom of my project list, it's time to start over and do them all again.
The fun never ends.
