Spring (Anticipation) Cleaning

Every year around this time (well, except for last year when I was still figuring out life with a newborn) I get a powerful urge to organize, sort, de-clutter, and streamline EVERYTHING. Given that we could still be getting snow for the next 2 months, it seems a bit premature to call it spring cleaning... but that's kind of what it is I suppose. This year, the urge is stronger than ever (probably because of not doing it last year) and I've already gotten the ball rolling!

It started with my kitchen. One day, I decided I really needed to move the pots and pans out from under cabinet A to cabinet B (nevermind that I hadn't planned where to put the stuff currently stored in cabinet B). In the process of dragging everything out, I decided it was time to do a purge. We had WAY too many pots and pans, including some we rarely used (and a couple we NEVER used). So I picked through and got rid of most of one set that was old and kind of rickety, as well as a few from another set I had from my early post-college days. In the process, I also discovered several stray lids that did not belong to any of the pots or pans that had been in cabinet A. Purged! I then relocated the remaining items to cabinet B, at which point I was faced with the dilemma of what to do with the items already in cabinet B (mixing bowls, cutting boards, measuring cups, and colanders). I moved the mixing bowls and measuring cups to a small, upper shelf inside cabinet A, and the cutting boards had a new home in cabinet C alongside some baking dishes and pans. I then began to plot what to do with the rest of the newly acquired space within cabinet A...

Two weeks later (these things take a while when you're working full-time and have a one-year-old underfoot!), I have rearranged approximately 60% of my kitchen. I have purged several categories of items (weird utensils, disposable party supplies, appliances that are somewhat broken and/or never used). I have looked at every jar, box, can, and bag in my "pantry" (which consists of one free-standing, skinny, Ikea bookshelf with a door and 3 upper cabinets in my kitchen) and have thrown out anything that was past the expiration date. I then reorganized all of it and labeled all of the shelves (or sections of shelves) according to what was stored there (e.g. baking supplies, snacks, canned goods). Nathan now has his own shelf that holds all of the dry baby foods (cereals, crackers, and a few pre-packaged, quick-n-easy items for last minute use).

I still have some things I'd like to do in the kitchen (my colanders still do not have a new home!). But in the meantime, the fever has increased and it is spreading to other areas of the house. I can't do it all in one long weekend (or even two) like I did in previous years. But a little at a time, whenever I have a free hour here or there, I'm opening drawers and closets, pulling things out, purging and tossing, moving and rearranging... And it isn't just my physical house that is getting the treatment. I'm feeling the need to apply these tactics to other areas of my life. My office at work, for instance, could use some sprucing up and purging. Our current finances need some re-prioritization in terms of goals, dreams, and serious budget-planning. I was doing okay last fall with the whole health-eating thing, but I definitely let that slide during the holidays (and then some). And along those same lines, I've slacked off with my workout schedule and could stand to get rid of a few more pounds before swimsuit season!

I'm not sure yet where this whole journey will take me, but I'm feeling motivated and excited. I want to write out some specific, concrete goals and plans. I want to see some changes in certain areas (long overdue). I want to look around my life like I'm starting to look around my kitchen and feel refreshed and calm (well, as calm as you can with a toddler in the house!). We'll see how it all goes. I'll write more on this as it takes shape...