Confessions of a packrat....
SO as we pack and get things ready to move, I am realizing that I married just the right person. We are so much alike and it really helps me to change for the better. We come from families that don't get rid of stuff as they should and live with a lot of extras in hopes that it will get put to good use one day haha.
For example, I got to know the lady who I see every morning while loading our sons on the bus. She is a wonderful lady. Mature, forward thinking, and just the type of person I love to surround myself with. Yesterday morning as we were walking back to our homes, I invited myself over HAHAHA and when we (my 2 y.o. and I) walked in and INSTANTLY made ourselves at home. Just LOVED her place (we live in the same condo complex, so the layout is exactly the same except for flipped). And then it made me realize I really wish we had less stuff! No matter how much stuff I throw out this STUFF is still there. A lot of nicky-nacky's and stuff I don't like, gifts from others from our wedding and other "special" occasions and I just want to JUNK it! Now I really appreciated the thought that was behind the gift-giving and the fact that many people are always giving us gifts shows that we are loved people which is very encouraging, but it is time to pass it on to the next person. And it is all stuff that people would pick up in an instant and put to use and that is why it is still in my house. It is still here, because I need a spot to sort it out, box it up and then donate it. I guess when we get to our new place we can always have a garage sale and get rid of stuff that way, but I would rather just pass it along and not have an experience with the departure of the item.
ANYWAYS, with all that said, now is not the time to be putting stuff off to the side as many things get shuffled around and with little people on the go, it is better to get it out of sight than to have them get at it. My husband and I have moved many times in a hurry (no, we are not wanted by the law haha) based on short notice and taking the opportunity as it comes, but it has left us in a position where we have a lot of unsorted stuff that keeps getting moved along with us. After we get all the stuff that we don't want out, we will be left with two major "collect" items each. My husband will have his tools and computer stuff and I will have my fabric and clothes.
LOL I must have a separate wardrobe for every role I play as a woman.
~ I have what I call mommy clothes (casual to semi-casual, slightly stained clothing that I can be out looking good with my kids and not worry about getting food rubbed on me).
~ I have sleep, loungewear and workout clothes.
~ I have camping and hiking clothes and other applicable sportswear.
~ I have creative clothes (even more stained than mommy clothes for cleaning, gardening, and painting).
~ I have 'hanging with my girls' clothes (more fun and playful and items my hubby isn't exactly fond of).
~ I have 'date with the hubby' clothes (more sexy and I wouldn't wear it with anyone else but him).
~ I have work clothes (I used to work in office environments and I enjoy dressing in suit pieces).
~ I have the rest of which I usually wear to church or events where I represent the family as a put-together wife and mom (and trust me, I wasn't always doing that and it was not encouraging for anyone if I didn't put myself together right).
This last section is smaller, but very important, because it means I get taken care of with the rest of the family. I used to run around and get everyone else ready and looking proper and walk out of the door with my hair in a scarf , make up not done, dark circles under my eyes, ashy skin, and the outfit was probably a work outfit. So I just looked like I was coming home after a horrible day at work hahaha.
I do not wear creative, sleep, loungewear or workout clothes out of the house. That is usually mommy clothes or one of the other applicable wardrobes that I can apply to the appropriate situation. I noticed from before that I got asked inappropriate questions and approached in a way that was overly forward, stereotypical, and abrasive if I don't dress accordingly and take the time to put myself together. It was not the way I wanted to be approached or the way I wanted to approach myself. I didn't want the extreme of getting treated like a superstar, but didn't need the assumption that I was less than I really am. Life didn't just happen to me and I was dealing with the consequences. I chose my husband, am happily married (as frustrating as it gets sometimes hahah), and planned for our children and to put off the opposite impression was not working for me anymore. Now, there are people who can get away with just wearing sweats and a loose fitting t-shirt out shopping, but I was not given that luxury. I look WRONG no matter how I strut it, so I just have to put in the effort to get it done right the first time. And it really doesn't take that long at all (except for my hair LOL), and my boys take pride in putting on their clothing and taking care of themselves properly as well.
So I may have a lot of clothes, but when the moment calls for something, I am prepared hahaha (almost, I could use shoes that fit now hahaha.......but that is for another time).
For example, I got to know the lady who I see every morning while loading our sons on the bus. She is a wonderful lady. Mature, forward thinking, and just the type of person I love to surround myself with. Yesterday morning as we were walking back to our homes, I invited myself over HAHAHA and when we (my 2 y.o. and I) walked in and INSTANTLY made ourselves at home. Just LOVED her place (we live in the same condo complex, so the layout is exactly the same except for flipped). And then it made me realize I really wish we had less stuff! No matter how much stuff I throw out this STUFF is still there. A lot of nicky-nacky's and stuff I don't like, gifts from others from our wedding and other "special" occasions and I just want to JUNK it! Now I really appreciated the thought that was behind the gift-giving and the fact that many people are always giving us gifts shows that we are loved people which is very encouraging, but it is time to pass it on to the next person. And it is all stuff that people would pick up in an instant and put to use and that is why it is still in my house. It is still here, because I need a spot to sort it out, box it up and then donate it. I guess when we get to our new place we can always have a garage sale and get rid of stuff that way, but I would rather just pass it along and not have an experience with the departure of the item.
ANYWAYS, with all that said, now is not the time to be putting stuff off to the side as many things get shuffled around and with little people on the go, it is better to get it out of sight than to have them get at it. My husband and I have moved many times in a hurry (no, we are not wanted by the law haha) based on short notice and taking the opportunity as it comes, but it has left us in a position where we have a lot of unsorted stuff that keeps getting moved along with us. After we get all the stuff that we don't want out, we will be left with two major "collect" items each. My husband will have his tools and computer stuff and I will have my fabric and clothes.
LOL I must have a separate wardrobe for every role I play as a woman.
~ I have what I call mommy clothes (casual to semi-casual, slightly stained clothing that I can be out looking good with my kids and not worry about getting food rubbed on me).
~ I have sleep, loungewear and workout clothes.
~ I have camping and hiking clothes and other applicable sportswear.
~ I have creative clothes (even more stained than mommy clothes for cleaning, gardening, and painting).
~ I have 'hanging with my girls' clothes (more fun and playful and items my hubby isn't exactly fond of).
~ I have 'date with the hubby' clothes (more sexy and I wouldn't wear it with anyone else but him).
~ I have work clothes (I used to work in office environments and I enjoy dressing in suit pieces).
~ I have the rest of which I usually wear to church or events where I represent the family as a put-together wife and mom (and trust me, I wasn't always doing that and it was not encouraging for anyone if I didn't put myself together right).
This last section is smaller, but very important, because it means I get taken care of with the rest of the family. I used to run around and get everyone else ready and looking proper and walk out of the door with my hair in a scarf , make up not done, dark circles under my eyes, ashy skin, and the outfit was probably a work outfit. So I just looked like I was coming home after a horrible day at work hahaha.
I do not wear creative, sleep, loungewear or workout clothes out of the house. That is usually mommy clothes or one of the other applicable wardrobes that I can apply to the appropriate situation. I noticed from before that I got asked inappropriate questions and approached in a way that was overly forward, stereotypical, and abrasive if I don't dress accordingly and take the time to put myself together. It was not the way I wanted to be approached or the way I wanted to approach myself. I didn't want the extreme of getting treated like a superstar, but didn't need the assumption that I was less than I really am. Life didn't just happen to me and I was dealing with the consequences. I chose my husband, am happily married (as frustrating as it gets sometimes hahah), and planned for our children and to put off the opposite impression was not working for me anymore. Now, there are people who can get away with just wearing sweats and a loose fitting t-shirt out shopping, but I was not given that luxury. I look WRONG no matter how I strut it, so I just have to put in the effort to get it done right the first time. And it really doesn't take that long at all (except for my hair LOL), and my boys take pride in putting on their clothing and taking care of themselves properly as well.
So I may have a lot of clothes, but when the moment calls for something, I am prepared hahaha (almost, I could use shoes that fit now hahaha.......but that is for another time).
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