We Own All The Things

Any spare time this weekend was spent in the basement, sorting through books and filling boxes. I think I managed to get rid of 6 or 7 full boxes of books (and seriously, people, I do not know where they all came from - if memory serves me correctly, I did the same thing last year). I managed to persuade Susie to get rid of any duplicate games we own (for heaven's sake, what family needs two sets of Dominos? And, uh, THREE Parcheesi boards?), and we agreed to toss the portable Scrabble, because it is so much easier to play online. Still, there is a lot left, so I've been ruthlessly culling any items left behind by grown children - I figure that if they haven't missed them yet, they never will.

When cleaning house, sentiment is NOT your friend.

That said, I stayed my hand when I came across a binder full of Brian's drawings from childhood, all in plastic page protectors (yes, I used to be THAT organized - hard to believe, I know). Scrawled pictures of volcanoes (remember?), Christmas trees, rocket ships - they brought tears to my eyes. So, yeah, I'll have to wait a few years to get rid of that one.

Irrelevant, but best darn photo I've ever taken

There is still so much stuff in this house. I mean, bedding alone is overwhelming me. Larry plans to pile all the boxes in the basement guest room, which means I removed the bed linens, etc., so they wouldn't get messed up or lost. But where does one put an extra down comforter, mattress pad, sheets, pillows, etc.? I eventually managed to shove most of the linens in the guest room dresser, but they are sharing close quarters with the equipment for Larry's ill-fated kite-flying hobby.

Oh, my goodness, that link really is a blast from the past.

Also, I hate to admit it, but I am loving my bedroom without the yarn dresser in it. The dresser used to be directly in line with the doorway; now that it is gone, I am free to walk straight across the room to the bathroom without having to swerve to the left and ram my hip against the bed frame every night.

This means that, post-bathroom renovation, I need a different place to store my yarn. A lot of my knitting friends use those hanging closet organizers, but there is a severe shortage of closet space in this house, what with all the people living here. I admit, taking over Brian's closet (a small walk-in) is particularly tempting; but he seems to still be using it and would probably object.

16-year-olds can be so selfish, amirite? Even 16-year-olds who used to draw the cutest volcanoes ever...