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Monday, January 3, 2011

The Urge to Purge

It started about the middle of last week….the desire to get rid of stuff….  That’s the nice thing about this time of year.  It’s as if God has given us a new chance to get it right.  It has been my lifelong goal to be an organized person.  Instead of being organized, I am the opposite.  I am sentimental and have a hard time parting with anything that might have a memory attached.  I know it’s silly and it’s only an item.  So once again I am going to muster up all my strength and try to eliminate clutter.  My goal is to store nothing on the floor!  Isn’t that an awful habit?  Have any of you tried the Fly Lady approach to cleaning and organizing?  I never have but somehow I am getting her emails again.  (cluttering up my mailbox!)

We had a nice Family Oriented Christmas.  I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s.  It’s always a nice calm down time.  My mother always comes home with us during this time and we enjoy a bit of shopping, Scrabble and card playing.  We ate too many cookies and vowed to throw out the ones we really didn’t like.

Mr. Brown Socks shared his awful cold with me over the holidays.  The only good thing to come out of this is a discovery I made.

 

 

 

 

blowing nose

Have you ever slept in your guest room?  Hoping to avoid his cold and to try and sleep without listening to his coughing spells, I took my flannel pj body down to the guest room.  Oh my!  I learned two things by doing this!  First of all the pillows on that bed are AWFUL!  I’ve already apologized to my sister who sleeps in that room more than anyone.  One was too lumpy.  One was too hard.  Out of four I never did find one that was just right.  So I now have new pillows on my shopping list.  How do you know which one to buy?  It’s not like we can try them out in the store!!  The other thing I noticed was it’s dark as the Ace of Spades in that room.  I had to feel my way to the bathroom.  A nightlight is needed to help guests find their way in the middle of the night.  Think about sleeping where you place your guests.  You might learn something!  I’m glad I did.

Silk Thumb Christmas 2009 008

 

 

Along with the cold I discovered a positive.  My irritated throat longed for something hot and soothing.  This tea is really, really good!  It’s different from Peppermint tea.  This green tea also has orange peel, vanilla and mint, blackberry leaves, carob, cinnamon and a few other flavorings.  It is so good I stopped at Target to see if I could find another box.  It is a seasonal tea so I figured it wouldn’t be around again until November.

I felt comforted drinking this yummy hot tea out of my Christmas mugs.

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Now it’s time to get going on the undecorating process.  I think I’m ready for it to come down now.  I even bought some new pretty bins at Target to help me organize my Christmas better.

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Should I take down Christmas or take a nap with this little Fur Baby?  Hmmmmmmm…..that’s a tough one!

 

May 2009 012

 

Happy New Year Everyone!

23 comments:

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

What an adorable post, AND, "SO TRUE"!!! You are SO RIGHT about the guest room... BUT, I DO buy new pillows for it often. I personally think that pillows have a short life span, THEREFORE, I recycle them often. I mean, I NEVER buy expensive ones(I USED TO and found out they didn't last ANY LONGER), SO When I'm having guests I buy new pillows(TJmaxx, Marshals, or HomeGoods). I buy down because My Mom LOVES a fluffy pillow, My Dad likes his "flat", therefore I FLUFF for Mom, and Dad can flatten his own, hehe... When the company goes home, "I TAKE THE New pillows, give my son MINE, and put his into the guest room, UNTIL company comes... My beds ALWAYS have 2 pillows for each person too... AND Yes how TRUE about the lighting in the guest room, AND my Mom always tells me she needs MORE mirrors. Moms are SO important for letting you in on "The Truth"! when everyone else says, "It fine Honey, I love the room"(and as you said, you can hear them stumbling around in the dark)!
I LOVED your Post...
A Very Happy New Year to you and yours,
Hope everyone is getting OVER their sniffles!
Hugs, Donna

Jane said...

I'm trying to get organized too but I have a hard time getting rid of things....always think "I may need that". I have got to get serious about getting rid of things or there will be no room left in my studio!
Great idea about sleeping in the guest room. My MIL just stayed in there for the week....hopefully the pillows were good!
Happy New Year!
Jane

Savannah Granny said...

Don't you love the urge to purge? I am purging old Christmas decor and lots of everything. I am moving very slowly tho. Not for any reason of discernment just fatigue.
I have often slept in the guest room. Mostly for me not keeping my sweet hubby awake. I have read in many articles that one should sleep in the guest room to learn the things you discovered. I purchase new pillows about once a year for guest rooms and myself. Hubby is a different matter. I practically have to burn his to get it away from him.
Have a great new year. Oh, I love the photo of the snow. Hugs, Ginger

Sonny G said...

I love this time for year cause I know the purging urge will strike and I will follow it with reckless abandon..
New pillows- awwwww- just typing that made me smile. I love having new pillows and replace mine quarterly..I Love all the flavors you listed in that tea and will be looking for some..
Kitty sure looks mighty cozy too..

Good Winter Wishes to You and Yours
Sonny

stitching under oaks said...

I too want to purge after Christmas...I think it's all the decorations and stuff. After a while they feel kinda like clutter and then I'm over the top...not only do I put away Christmas, but I want to clean out all the closets and stuff. I'm so glad you're feeling better. Happy New Year!

Miss Char said...

Love the thread title Donna. I'm working toward a big trip to the Salvation Army soon but not with Christmas things as I've pretty much purged that down to what I want. I do however, have a house including my basement overflowing with all sorts of "stuff".

Tree is undecorated today but I'm not in the mood right now to drag it downstairs. It comes apart in three pieces but it still is heavy to drag around.

Paula@SweetPea said...

I hope you feel better soon! Getting a cold is the pits.

Sleeping in your own guest room is a great tip. We did a few years ago but it wouldn't hurt to do it again to test things out.

The last pillows I bought were $14 at Target and have been great. I may just treat myself to some new ones now that you've reminded me about it.

Good luck with your purging!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

I am ready to get undecorating, too, Donna! I've got to do a little every week after work this week otherwise I feel like it's taking too long and I give up. How does it seem to get put out and up so fast, yet take forever to put away?

Marlis said...

Loved this post! good tip about the guest room. You can come try mine out anytime, I sleep very well in there! Your little furball is adorable.. What an incredible sweet kitty. Have a happy New Year and thanks for coming by and leaving your kind words!

LaurieAnna's Vintage Home said...

Loved this, this is my new year's resolution too! Enjoyed everything about this post, but must say I'm particularly fond of your furry baby at the end. I have two that are its' twin!

So happy to have found your blog, love love love it!

Debbiedoos said...

Ahhhhh...we are all on the same page here Donna. So funny, I am purging too. I have no place to keep stuff anymore. Happy New Year to you and your family. I am fighting that cold too.

Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking said...

I love to start the New Year off by getting organized.Your cat is adorable

Unknown said...

Firsr of all, take a nap with the kittie...doctor's orders.

Secondly, good luck with the purging. If you can manage to do it, you might give the rest of us pack rats some hope.

Cathy said...

I hope you're feeling better today. This is a great post Donna! Have fun purging.

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Hi Donna, I have been on a purging marathan since Christmas. I have made several trips to Goodwill so far. Great idea of treating yourself as if you were a guest in your own house.
Hugs,
Sherry

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Donna, I think the kitty has the right idea! I have a terrible time buying pillows. I have to buy several before I find the one I REALLY like, and I'm so bad, I usually relegate the ones I didn't like to the guestroom. You're right - my guests deserve comfortable pillows too! I often take my pillow with me when I go visit someone. Pillows are just such a personal thing -some like em soft, some like em sturdy. Wishing you a wonderful New Year filled with organization. (I don't even pretent that I can be organized - it's too discouraging!) laurie

Gypsy Heart said...

It feels so good to purge! I've been doing a lot with this latest move and still going through boxes and closets, trying to organize my life again.

I buy firm pillows for side sleepers and they have to be hypoallerginic. Not sure what I do but I'm terrible with pillows...seems I buy them more often than most folks.

Wishing you the best for 2011 !
Pat

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna! Thank you for your HEP! :)
Great post! I hope you're feeling better but you probably didn't sleep very well on those lumpy pillows! I have done the same thing - slept in the guest room so I wouldn't get Mr. Precious' germs!
I have a short little neck and have the hardest time with pillows!!
Now I'm sure me popping in to see your Christmas take down has been of immense HEP to you! :)
Be a sweetie and Happy New New,
Shelia ;)

Blondie's Journal said...

I agree with you about not wanting to store things on the floor. Who needs all that bending and lifting? This would mean I would have to clean off the shelves in my laundry room...ugh!

I like your tips on the guest room. We are redoing both of ours this year and I know I will want to sleep in them after...sometimes it's nice to have that extra room in the bed!!

I hope you get over the cold soon, I am going to look for that tea!

XO,
Jane

Donna said...

That tea looks and sounds yummy and soothing. I hope I can find some. :)
D

Sue said...

OMGoodness, All I have done for nine days is pack up Xmas and clean and organize and purge!!! And I'm not done yet! There are 30 boxes stacked high in the garage, waiting to go into the attic. LOL I can't even get into my own car without shifting them around.
You CAN try out pillows in the store! When I was a mgr. for a regional dept. store, I supervised the home area. I always had my customers take the pillow they were looking at and try it out on one of the display beds. They also used to try them on the wrap desk. Of course, the plastic stayed on, but they could still see how the pillows felt. When I bought some pillows at Walmart a couple of weeks ago, I took them back to the furniture area so I could set them on a table while I lay my head on them. Who cares what you look like? It's Wally World!! LOL
Happy New Year!! ~ Sue

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Hi Donna! I vote for napping! lol Christmas has still not left the building at my house! I did get as far as t guest room, though! And a belated Happy New Year...I'm up to my elbows in grandchildren! Hope you are having a great week!...hugs...Debbie

sheila from life @ #17 said...

I'm confessing I never really get the Purge Urge [VBG} I only get rid of when I have to have more room...we really should have bought a bigger house!