Clutter that Breeds

I have always been a master of keeping small spaces tidy, especially small, hidden spaces.  My junior high locker was purged at least weekly and kept incredibly neat.  It seems like I'm constantly checking Tiny's diaper bag and keeping it organized.  My super-cute-little-pencil-case-that-easily-jumps-from-diaper-bag-to-mama-purse is always clutter free.  Even my closet is relatively neat.  It's the vast expanses that throw me for a loop.

On the vast expanse of dining room table:  Junk mail, bills, and what-do-I-do-with-this-one papers seem to intermingle.  Then they breed like the gadzillion stray cats under Grandpa's porch until I don't know which ones to destroy and which to file.  Hence my "need to file" file pile.

My car (since having children): The car used to be a small space that was cleaned out frequently, but now I always have my hands full of baby when I come in the door.   I don't bring in the bits of straw wrappers, the tiny little socks (why won't she just keep them on???), the fuel receipts and random toys.  Tonight, I noticed Tiny's Gloworm on the floor board.  I'm pretty sure he's got Farmer Jed to keep him company and they have plenty of stale Cheerios and a flat Diet Coke to snack on if they decide to throw a party.

The bookshelf and the donate tub:  Both are overflowing.  The bookshelf is top-heavy with toys Tiny isn't allowed to eat.  The donate tub has turned into a mountain of unloved and/or outgrown clothing.  There's no place to put it so it lives by the backdoor.  God help us if there's a fire ~ our escape hatch is buried.

We're on this journey to simplify our lives and declutter our spaces, all our spaces.  I always tell people to start with a small linen closet or a spice cabinet, but it's becoming quite apparent to me that the time has come to expand my focus.  We are moving in less then three weeks.  That gives me three more trash pick up days to attack the pantry, find the dining room table, and dig up the floor mats of my car.  I've got three more Saturdays to weed out the bookshelf and whittle down the closets before I make a big delivery to the Samaritan Shop.  With this fresh start, I plan to take my time and be very strategic about the "stuff" that actually moves with us to our new address.  If we haven't needed it on Duplex Alley, it won't likely make the moving truck.   ~ It's Plain & Simple As That