I know I mentioned having three shipments for our stuff. First up is unaccompanied baggage, then household goods and finally storage. Of course there is the matter of shipping the car too, so I guess really there are 4 shipments.We moved to our current house two years ago and I thought when we moved we did a really great job of weeding out stuff we didn't want. Two years later, i look at our things now and think, where did all the stuff come from?
First are the endless shelves of books. My husband likes to read, ALOT. And he doesn't like to get rid of any books he's read. I know it's his personal goal in life to amass a rather extraordinary library, but geesh, I just don't understand his attachment to all these books. (I do know there are some he hasn't read but he keeps for show only, he likes to appear to be well-read. ). Now I on the other, yes I might keep a couple favorite authors like Nicholas Sparks or Sophie Kinsella, but for me, some of these books have got to go! I don't plan on re-reading them anytime soon, and frankly, the Kindle is a wonderful device I never thought I'd like, but I do. So with the Kindle on my mind, why keep these paperbacks? Time to start weeding them out like thorns on a rosebush.
I decided I will treat the books like my shipment and break it into three groups: the must definitely keep because i might read again or looks good for posterity pile, the what was i thinking and that book must certainly be pawned off on a friend pile, and the must keep but don't mind not seeing it for three years pile. That last pile would be my collection of Nancy Drews from the 1930s and some old Christmas books, although now that I think of it, why do I need those Christmas books. There is, after all, always Google or Pinterest for a great craft idea. Hmm, ok that makes a fourth pile of donations. Yes, that seems to work.
There, sorted now for some boxes or bags, which I seem not to lack. All those wonderful recyclable shopping bags are finally going to see the light of day again. That's good, because I need to get rid of those too. After my books have been tackled, it's time for the kids' books too. Last night my husband pulled out a few books and asked if I wanted to keep them for the grand kids someday. I know I must have given him a look of death or something because he looked at me and replied, "yeah ok, I see, never mind that thought." Woohoo, small victory. I may break him of his pack-rat ideas sooner than I thought. The kids have a varied range of books lately. Mostly they are the at the same reading level, which is convenient, but ask them to share and well, any mother of two girls would certainly understand that would be the start of world war three. Luckily the older kid has "lent" some of her books to her younger sister. It's a nice gesture for sure, however, I think it's so the older kid doesn't have to actually READ those books now. I'm pretty sure she has some motive there for being kind to her younger sister.
As I look at some of the titles of these kid books, Click Clack Moo and Bear Snores On, I am reminded of simpler times when knowing how to rhyme was a must and a bedtime story was always requested. Alas, those days are gone, for the most part. The older kid has no interest in a bedtime story unless it involves some random Pokemon character of her choosing and the younger kid, well she'd rather read YOU the book instead of the other way around. Cute yes, but she insists on reading the longest book possible in one sitting just so she can stay up a little later. I'm on to her tricks, daddy however is not. Hey, what can I say, I like my quiet time before bed too.
With the books separated into their piles I now see another mountain of stuff to clean. It really is an endless cycle. I suppose it should get my attention prior to the kids coming home from school because once they see the pile of books I'm giving away, I know they'll make a beeline for the pile and pull out all their favorites, even though they don't read those books or haven't read them in years. I find it's best, as every mother would agree with me, to get rid of the stuff while the kids are at school. This foolproof method results in lower overall arguments in said household, and I am all over that!! So off to organize and shelve those piles.
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