Now for fantasy time: unclutter your life in one week!

I just reviewed an organizing book on my book blog. Although I found it lacking (especially the one-week idea!), it did give me some continued inspiration.

It also helped me kick up my brutality a notch. Last night I was decluttering in our family/play room, which is inevitably getting trashed. Nicholas (4) had gotten into the games closet again and dumped a lot of games on the floor. Many of these got recycled or dumped into a "donate" bag. So did many toys. An acquaintance recently gave us a child's work bench and a basket of wood pieces, thinking our boys would like it. Last night I suggested to my husband that we donate it to Nicholas' preschool because our kids have hardly touched it since it first arrived...and the wood pieces end up getting scattered around the floor. I'm determined to conquer the "SMALL PIECES PROBLEM"! Well, at least tame the monster a little bit.


And yes, I realize if I were a better mother, I would engage my children in giving away these toys and games, and I would find a way to convince them that this is going to result in a simpler, saner home. But anyone who suggests that either has children who are saints or does not have children. I'm taking the easy way out. Out of sight, out of mind.

Feeling brutal!

It's one of those days when I feel like throwing out (or donating) tons of stuff. I wish I had the kinds of kids who willingly gave stuff away. It's not that they never do that--in fact, Kieran agreed to give away a robot he got for Christmas a few years ago--but if they knew what I got rid of, they wouldn't be very happy with me.

Mike peeked into my Goodwill and garbage bags this morning, and pulled out a Santa costume a friend made for Nicholas a year ago last Christmas. It's getting too small for him, full of pills, but he still does wear it when he comes across it. My theory is: out of sight, out of mind. But he will probably go looking for it.

My dishonest parenting methods go like this:

Kid: "Where did _____________ go?"
Me: "I don't know." (which is, honestly, the truth, even though it's just shades of the truth)

This approach came back to bite me recently...as I think I got rid of a "High School Musical" CD last year sometime. Chris and Kieran were both into HSM when it came out, and we had the CD and DVD. But when I came across it, I figured that it was definitely OUT (it's not as cool to like HSM as it was when they were younger), so OUT it went.

Wouldn't you know? The middle school spring play is "High School Musical" and Chris has to learn a song from the soundtrack for the audition. I am not absolutely positive I got rid of it, but it rings a bell. "I don't know, honey."