It is going to be the Holidays pretty soon, I guess most of us are already busy with their gift list, while for some they are already on the completion stage (good for them!). While many are busy shopping and looking out for sales, I, on the other hand, am busy organizing and decluttering our cabinets, this is also part of the Holiday preparation which is also the season for gift giving (tip: keeping an inventory of all your stuff especially this season will be helpful so that you’ll know what to buy and what gifts to ask for, just in case, right?)
I started taking out my daughter’s clothes which don’t fit her anymore. Mind you, I was able to collect a huge pile. Some of it will be going to charity and some will be handed down to younger cousins. And, if I knew how to make money reselling these old clothes, then, I might have considered that too. Children really grow up so fast and seeing my toddler’s old clothes made me sentimental, I realized that indeed she is no longer a baby…
As I was rummaging through my cabinet, I discovered some photos that I had been planning of organizing way back. These photos are precious to me as they are my childhood photos. My mom, despite the shortness of advanced technology before, managed to keep track of my and my brother’s milestones. We had a complete set of photo albums and mementos. It is sad, that when our house was hit by flood because of a strong typhoon in 1989, we were not able to save these albums. I was able to salvage only some but not everything. One of the photos that I was able to save was taken when I was six , I made it undergo reprocessing and enlargement a few years ago. I am now planning of ordering some good quality frames from posterframedepot.com so that I can preserve its quality and of course the memory behind it. Looking at my picture and my daughter’s now old clothes, I can’t help but think where has time gone? It did passed by so fast. That six-year old in the picture is now a mom, and pretty soon before I know it my daughter will be one too.
This simple organizing and cleaning chore made me ponder on some important things…
Indeed, life is precious and we pass by in this journey only once. And I should say, we should enjoy every moment of it while making our life more meaningful and true to our existence. As for me, I came to know that I need to rediscover a part of myself, the one that claims joy in simplicity of things and partakes in thanksgiving to the Almighty who is the Giver of all these things…
See what simple cleaning can do to me?
I have been doing a little decluttering around the house, too. I came across some school work from when my kids were little and it was such fun to look at it all again.
I've been decluttering a lot lately. Our small home is not large enough to keep all of my daughter's outgrown clothing and toys. Though, I wish it was because I'm so emotionally attached to her things. At 3 1/2, she's growing up just too quickly for my liking!
It makes me sad when I come across all of my kids things from when they were littler. They are almost 18 and 15 now. I am waiting to declutter until they are ready to get rid of their own things. They are still attached so I let them decide to keep and throw out their own things!
Good for you.
I've been putting off decluttering because I know we're moving in a few months. I'm hoping to get everything organized in our new home.
When we were getting ready to move I went thru everything…it's amazing the things you forget you have! I came across the highschool yearbook from my freshman year!
I lost a lot of my childhood photos in a house fire. I am so glad technology has advanced as much as it has, I have scanned everything in and now store it on servers elsewhere. I am glad you could save some of the photos. I am glad I am not the only one that gets motivated by cleaning!
You don't even know HOW BAD I need to do this!! I keep putting it off, but I know I need to do it SOON!
I was just spring cleaning yesterday too. So was my girlfriend. Perhaps it means that winter will be short (a girl can hope). When I'm cleaning, I think about nothing. I should clean more often…
Besos, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeys of The Zoo
How awful to lose those. I really need to save our stuff to back up. And actually enlarge and hang some.
So true. We're doing a lot of de-cluttering today. First on our list will be our garage
I know I've got one closest I always pile the kids papers from school, art projects they've done etc…and then when I go to clean it out-a 1/2 hour job turns into an all day event becasue I keep walking down memory lane. =)
This is a great reminder that I really DO need to start decluttering my house for the upcoming holidays. Thanks for sharing this!
So sad that you lost those but the memories will live in the heart forever.
I have a crate of picures I have to go through, pictures of my childhood and I love looking at them, becuase they are all I have left of my parents, both of them passed on and I love looking at them younger, they are great memories and now you have me thinking I need to perserve those memories.
A few times a year I get on these purging kicks and just start throwing stuff out, donating etc… I just can't stand all the junk piling up!! LOL