April 29, 2013

Popping and Purging.

What a mess.

  IMG_4468
But things often need to get messier before they can get tidier.  This desire/hankering/need to purge STUFF from the house has been growing stronger and stronger deep in my psyche for the last few months.  We’re not really packracks, per se.  But we homeschool and we run two businesses out of our home.  Which adds up to STUFF.  And I may just be that crazy lady who keeps nice boxes (especially the Crate & Barrel kind).  And perfectly good bubble wrap.  And packing material.  ‘Cause you never know when you’ll need that stuff.  And we may move someday (we’re not really the moving types).  And it seems a shame just to toss it in the recycle bin.  Y’know?  (please tell me I’m not that crazy, that I’m not the only one, that I’m in good company for good reason …).  Anywhooo, I decided to get over it.  I collapsed the boxes.  I conscripted some labor to flatten the bubble wrap.  Little Dude had two main methods: 

The hop-and-pop method … (the mask must have been his superpower)IMG_4469IMG_4470IMG_4471IMG_4472IMG_4473
And the run-and-stomp method.
poppingbubblewrapHis fun-filled, goofy ways made the process a mite less painful …IMG_4478
He had a fantastic third method (it resembled flamenco dancing and included one arm up in the air) that I failed to photograph because I was busy carting boxes, paper and bubble wrap to the garbage bin.  Painful though it is to throw away perfectly good packaging stuff, I’m glad for the extra space in the closet.  My psyche feels a little less annoyed.  A little freer.  A little lighter.  A little less fearful that Hoarders is going to come knocking at my door.  Now, on to those bookshelves…

Btw, I used this helpful tutorial at I Heart Faces to put together the animated .gif above (I essentially started at step 7).

4 comments:

kmbenson said...

GOOD FOR YOU!!! The purger in me is so stinkin' proud of you :) I don't toss every single box, but it feels good to throw most of them away. Last summer I realized there was no need to keep all my younger grade homeschooling stuff. I got rid of a ton, but I gotta be honest... I snuck a few boxes in the attic for my grandchildren one day. Considering my kids are 10-18 that will be a few years,..bit I couldn't help myself...

Janet Coffin said...

Oh, man! I have been searching for a box all morning to fit something I sold on eBay last night. I finally gave up the search and, feeling defeated, decided to soothe my frustration with a Facebook check. Lo, and behold, what looks like the perfect size box is at the bottom of your recycling pile! Ahhh, Mondays!

Adrienne Zwart said...

Oh, you have me laughing! Jeff was a total saver of boxes and packing materials. And sometimes they were very handy for shipping items we sold on eBay. But honestly, most of them are still down in the basement, and I've been thinking for about a year actually that it's time to just recycle it already!

Congrats on purging!

Tracy P. said...

I love this. Everybody needs a super hero like that! Mine is a friend who is holding me accountable and helping me organize. I must say, Susan, that even messes look amazing in the beautiful light of your home. How could you move away from that???