...what we really need is to get rid of what we don't." --Marie Kondo
I have several ideas bouncing around in this head of mine that I want to blog about (and I will blog about them), but after my day yesterday, this blogpost just needs to be written now! :)
Let me just start at the beginning...March 31 rolled to a close, and April 1 began...literally, at around midnight I began contemplating what I was going to give up for April, which also made me rethink my lack of commitment to March. :/
As a part of Seven (read two previous posts to find out more about Seven), March was to get rid of seven things a day for the month of March. I had already pretty much decided that I wasn't going to do this month. I know...I know...in my defense; I live in a 675 square feet apartment, so how much stuff could I possibly have to get rid of??! When we left Bee Cave last summer, Russell and I decided to get rid of/sell a CRAP TON of stuff, so I was certain that there's no way I have 217 (you read that right!!!) TWO HUNDRED SEVENTEEN things to donate.
After committing to my seven social media/forms of media (Snapchat, Facebook, Shopping/House Hunting apps, Netflix, cable {except ROOT Sports}, Twitter, and the news) for April, I decided that this weekend, I would attempt to do March. I will have plenty of time to blog this month, so get readyy! ;)
The next morning, I woke up, made breakfast tacos for and subsequently ate said breakfast tacos with the husband, which was lovely! Afterwards, I dropped him off at work and came home to get started! Little did I know the range of emotions that would ensue as I began to go through my things. It only makes sense that I have seven (get it??) things to share with you about yesterday.
Here goes...
1. Although things are just things, sometimes they mean more than that.
- It is no secret that I have a hard time getting rid of things. I am well aware that they are just that "things," but having lived the life that I've lived so far, some things ARE more than that. Example: My grandpa's volunteer fire department shirt. My grandpa was my #1 man until the day he passed away in 1997. Not too long after that, life became pretty unstable for my family. He he had always held it together for us. We didn't have much, but we had a place to live and food to eat and love..so much love. He always took great care of my momma and us girls. That Roganville VFD shirt, is the ONLY thing that I have from the first 11 years of my life. It wasn't until I saw this shirt, that the memories, the priceless ones and the painful ones, began to flood into my brain. I went back to a full pan of cheese toast (3 for Hopi, 3 for me) for breakfast and sitting in his lap singing along to The Gambler to playing under the pecan tree to the night he didn't come from the hospital. The same qualities that I loved about my grandpa are the same qualities that made me fall in love with my husband. A person who loves with his whole heart and is more compassionate than he should be. A person who puts others (me) before himself and will work his fingers to the bone to give us the life we deserve. A connection I hadn't made until I sat and ran my fingers across the little pocket size logo.
2. I'm more like my momma than I realized.
- Several things happened yesterday that made me realize this. Ask a lot of my family (especially Hopi) and they will tell you the things that y'all already know, such as our affinity for diet sodas (Diet Coke and Coke Zero respectively) and our need to consume more water. They may mention others things like, we find the best in people and love them to a fault or how we get our feelings hurt easily and maybe aren't the best at communicating once we're upset.
- Yesterday though, I realized that I, like Kristina, am a sock hoarder. My mom had a LARGE laundry basket in which she kept socks without matches...I unknowingly, had A LOT of socks that didn't have matches, but why would one throw away perfectly good socks (even if they don't match ;))?! I'm not sure why she didn't throw them away because she wouldn't wear unmatched socks or let Brother wear unmatched socks, but she didn't. I, also, couldn't throw them away...so guess who has an entire class set of white board erasers...you're reading her blog. ;) Another example, towels...no matter their condition or how long we've had them...keeping those suckers...and hangers..
My name is Amanda, and I'm a towel hoarder.
3. Things that brought joy in the past could no longer bring the same joy.
- A few years ago, I read a book called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. I took everything in my closet and bedroom and went through the Konmari Method...You start by putting all of your possessions into five categories (clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous and sentimental) Then, starting with clothes, you put it all in one place and ask yourself; "Does this bring me joy?" If the answer is no, thank it for its service (yes! I'm serious) and get rid of it. If the answer is yes, ask yourself "Has it served its purpose?" If it has, but you can't rid of it (wedding dress), then keep it! Other items, you use, you keep them. So, I did just that. It took forever, and I only did my personal things...not kitchen or shared items with Russell or Russell's things. I may have stopped at miscellaneous...
- So, what makes me say that things that bring me joy in the past no longer bring the same joy. Well, I was able to get rid of 5 bags of things, yesterday. Some of those things I've had since high school, other things since college...so they made the cut last time. I reflected on this quite a bit yesterday, and came to realize a few things. Over time, some things don't mean as much. Not because that period in your life doesn't mean a lot, but some of the things from that time period, you just don't need. I also think living in a smaller apartment helped this time. Our current apartment is 200 square feet smaller than our last one...I had plenty of places to put the things I justified keeping and here, well, not so much. I don't mind it though. :)
4. Who knew pajamas could stop you in your tracks?
- Growing up, we didn't have many set traditions..in 2009, Hopi started the tradition of Christmas PJs for our little family unit. I have every pair of them. I only wear them for PJ days (a perk of being a teacher) and at Christmas time, but you better believe I've kept every pair. Being that I don't wear them often, seeing all of them next to each other brought back memories from the last 4 places that we had Christmas with momma...the last Christmases we'll ever have...that drawer took a bit to get through.
5. "A place for everything, everything in its place"- Benjamin Franklin
- Every single thing in my apartment now has a home. I'm not exaggerating. You could ask me about any item and I could tell you where to look for it. Some of you may think...ummm...anyone should be able to do that. Well, let me tell ya, as a closet (now publicly admitted) hoarder, this is a BIG DEAL. Come visit and try me! ;)
6. Appreciation of things can only happen if you know what you have.
- I can tell you right now, that I can't find my olive green shirt, and I really want to wear it this week. I can tell you that I need more socks...this may seem silly being that I just got rid of a bunch of them, but I now I have 7 pair of matching socks (not including holiday socks-that bring me great joy) to my name, two of which Russell bought me and 3 of which are for flats. Who knows what happened to them?! I am grateful that am an able-bodied, working member of society, so that I can buy things for myself and others. Being that I don't have an excessive amount of things, I can tell you I appreciate every single thing in my apartment.
7. Sometimes searching for permanence prevents us from being grateful for the times that are temporary.
- I've talked with Juliebear a lot about searching for permanence. I think when you're 29 and you live in an apartment and commute to a job 30 minutes away; you find yourself asking questions like: When are we going to buy a house? Start a family? Get a dog? Are we going to stay in this town? Which neighborhood? Will I stay at this school? In this district? (Both of which are great, so I'm sure!) For how long? What about? What if? When are we?
- The more I went through my life yesterday, the more I realized, even though I am grateful for this stage in my life, I do take some things for granted. So, here I am, humbly appreciating the temporary. I love this little apartment and its amenities, such as valet trash, maintenance, workout room, pool and lawn care. Soon enough, all of those things will be on Russell and me. I get to see my husband every day, even if it's only for 20 minutes. Being that I don't have kids or a dog or a house to take care of, I have time right now to put my energy into other things.
Here are some before and afters of the weekend!
I only took befores of the closet. I know, I know, I let myself down on that one!
The hanging organizer used to house my undergarments, workout clothes, camis, and swimwear...as you could imagine that was a terrible idea. So, now it's for sandals and TOMS and I've moved all the aforementioned things to the Sterilite container pictured below the full length mirror.
Clothes are arranged sleeve length (left to right), recommended Marie Kondo!
Not only did I do the closet, but I did my ENTIRE apartment.
Dental advice: Put floss by your bed...and in your purse and in your car, so you actually use it.
Russell and I have decided that we plan on staying here another year and that it's time to make this little apartment a home. :) Now, that we know what all we do have, we can start making it look exactly like we want it to. Who ever said you can't make an apartment look like the latest episode of Fixer Upper?! ;) Thank Jesus for Pinterest and Joanna Gaines.
This has been the most productive weekend I've had in a very long time. For once, I don't have a case of the Sunday night blues...
"When you love what you have, you have everything you need."
-Amanda
