Out with the Old

The last week or two I've been working on some projects that are, at best, painfully overdue--many to do with the idea of getting rid of things in my life that I don't need. That list is surprisingly, and frighteningly, very, very long.

Welcome to "Messland!"

This is what you get when you throw together the entire contents of Emily's room, circa 1990 to 2004, plus the majority of the last five years of acquired apartment furnishings. My adorable nephew appropriately christened this wonder-of-the-disorganized-world "Messland" the other day when he and Eve happened upon it while Auntie Em was getting ready in her utter shame. Devlin, the perceptive offspring of two master-organizing, space-saving extraordinaires, said with unabashed, 5-year-old honesty: "Welcome to Messland where nothing at all is organized!" He proceeded to instruct Eve on how to step over, climb under, and muscle through the stacks and stacks of "junk" mounded about the room.

I can take a hint.

So, we sped up the pace a bit of the work we'd begun in my room and said goodbye to some very old friends.
Yes, I'm 26. And yes, only last week did I part with my little girl toys. Only now that my parents are remodeling (painting, tiling, wood-flooring, and granite-countertopping) the entire upstairs have I ever had reason to mess with it. Not all of the toys found a new home, mind you. The Sunshine Bear, for example, (on the left in overalls) was given to me on my first Christmas by my Nana Dalton, who then passed away before my first birthday. That bear is sticking with me.

So really, I don't know what's more surprising--the fact that my room virtually hasn't been touched in 6 years, or the fact that there's so much stinkin' space in this house that nobody minded.

I'm actually a little shocked at how long I've had some of this stuff. I mean high school, for goodness sake, was 10 years ago! And I had every last corsage!!
Or there's my first job: working the sportswear department at Mervyn's at Superstition Springs. I was sad to see that place close, though at the time I was working there, I probably wouldn't have minded so much.
Well, it was so much fun de-junking at our house, I thought I'd go over and do it at my in-laws too! Here are the results of Peg's closet detox: 8 donation and 2 trash--10 bags full!

The Goodwill is LOVING us right now! One more garage sale to go and I think we're in the clear!