I stripped the sheets off the beds of my oldest two children this morning. That is, I stripped the sheets off after I took a backhoe to their beds in order to remove all the STUFF they had accumulated on top of said sheets.
My children are hoarders.
This is proof that heaven has a sense of humor.
I am a thrower awayer. A shameless, bold-faced thrower awayer. I learned the art of throwing away at my mother's knee, when I was tiny. I did not embrace it as a child, but now as an adult, I love it. Getting rid of stuff we don't use or need makes me feel free, clean, uncluttered, organized, and happy inside. I get a little adrenaline rush every time I stick stuff in the garbage or giveaway pile. Seriously.
This is not to say that I don't value anything I own. I have a number of items that are deeply sentimental and precious to me. I take care of them and love who and what they remind me of. But, say, the patterned pencils we got trick-or-treating with the chewed up erasers, or the McDonald's toy that I repeatedly find left on my kitchen table..they're out. They don't make my cut. I tell my kids on a semi-regular basis, "Put that where it belongs please, or I will find a new home for it." I know they know I'm serious because when they can't find a toy, they semi-regularly ask me, "Mom, did you throw my [insert lost item here] away?"
The part of me that is not vigilantly, excitedly keeping an eye out for things to get rid of, thinks this is a little sad for them. Like they're constantly walking around feeling threatened that their beloved toys and blankets will just suddenly vanish one day by my hand. So I try to put the damper on my psycho a little, for them. I pay attention to the toys they really do play with. I try to involve them and let them have a say when it's time to for spring cleaning-out. I do not throw away things that they say they love. I leave their bedroom alone. They know I will.
And that is why this morning when I was attempting to change E and H's sheets, I found this buried and piled up in their beds:
* 5 super-special blankets
* 2 regular, non super-special blankets
* 6 books
* 18 stuffed animals (including three I thought I already got rid of)
* 1 book light
* 1 alarm clock
* 1 shucked, plastic play ear of corn
* 1 pair of too-small striped slippers
* 1 medium-sized, hand-painted treasure box full of fake, ultra-sparkly jewels
* 1 Nerf bullet (with minimal chew marks from the dog)
* 2 clean pajama tank tops
* 7 squishy animals (mostly fierce predators)
* 1 large felt fluorescent orange rose
* a wadded up, used tissue
* remnants of something white and plastic that Apollo has apparently chewed
The sheets are in the wash now. When they are clean and dry, I will put them back on their beds. And then, because I love my children, I will sigh and pile all that super-special stuff back on their beds. (Minus the used tissue and the white plastic remnants, of course...I haven't arrived at that level of squashing my instincts down yet.) Because I love that they have made their beds their own. And I love that they go to sleep each night surrounded by things that make them happy. And especially because I deeply understand loving random things with great passion. To each his own.
And then I will go downstairs and find something to throw away.
Are you a thrower awayer or a hoarder? Or somewhere in the middle?
9 comments:
Oh, that is funny. (my) Dave is just like you. He won't think twice of throwing something away. Clutter stresses him out. I think I have become more like him since we've been married. My children also know that I will throw things away if they can't put them where they go. Sad for the kids? Maybe a little. But peace of mind for the parents? I think that's pretty important. Especially when we are at a stage in life where we feel like we can't control everything. But I know that is just living with young children. I know it will pass. And then onto the teenage years....sigh.
I am a hoarder. But part of me wants to be a throw-awayer. I'm making baby steps.
I'm glad that many moons ago you got rid of a pair of lounge pants, which I claimed. I think of you every time I wear them.
This is a timely post, just today I sent this to Jim. "I know I talk about it but I am putting our house in order. We (I) have so much stuff we (I) don't need but save for "someday". Well, when/if that someday comes I will buy it again or go without. We have too much stuff for the space we live in.
I tend to hold on to thing and Jim is a thrower away. But I love how I feel when I get rid of those things I don't need.
I think that is cute that those are the things that mean so much to your kiddos.
That sounds EXACTLY like Brayden's and Ashlyn's beds!!! I just washed sheets today too and reading your post was like deja vu.
I'm worried that I'm going to turn my children in to hoarders because I'm a throw-awayer, and I think they have way too many toys. This could be because I had no toys as one of 11 kids, or no toys that I can really remember :)
I'm glad I'm not the only parent telling my kids to find a home for their things!
I am proud of you for returning the piles to their owners.
I am definitely a thrower-awayer!!! Through and through. I make a donate pile regularly and LOVE watching it leave my house!
Your children's stashes are hilarious. I, however, find nasty dirty and usually smelly clothes hidden in the backs of drawers because my children never know when it will return from the laundry pile! Gonna have to work on that one :)
Also, a friend of mine just put a length of about 3-4ft of gutter on the wall near each of her kids beds for such special objects. The lip on the gutter keeps toys and such in better than a shelf and is quite readily available at Home Depot and such!!!
Happy hoarding E and H!
I could copy and paste this post to my blog and no one would know! Well, with some name corrections ... we are lucky that Tucker employs half the mexicans on the south side of town, so we always have a good excuse to get rid of things, knowing they are being used. Was that racist? I am debating posting this ... and I am 1/8 spanish. Anyway, I am just trying to say, when you know someone else will get good use out of the things you don't need around, it is sooo easy to get rid of things. Good work! But nice of you that you put their prized posessions back. :)
I am like you, a once hoarder, now a thrower-awayer. My kids are exactly the same way, except they are constantly keeping little pieces of paper or stuff they make. Which is sweet and beautiful that they make things for each other, and me, but the sheer volume of stuff is simply too much sometimes. I also throw away *crap* I find sitting around in the wrong place for too long. Most of the time, the kids never even notice that stuff is gone and move onto new beloved toys.
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