Clutter, clutter everywhere!

     I've been in the process of spring cleaning this week. It's not the most fun process, BUT... it is necessary if you want to have a nice, pretty, clean house.
    
     Pinterest has inspired me to give my home a little more personality... but in order to do that, I must clean it first. Not that my house is ever horrible....(Well... okay, sometimes it is horrible - but not ALL of the time.) I just happen to have been struggling with a lifelong battle with clutter. Especially paper clutter - and that's the absolute worst kind.

     There is a story that my parents have told many times about me when I was about 3 years old. Apparently, my Daddy had made me a beautiful toy box. I loved to play in it, but refused to put my toys inside of it. (Apparently, I liked them on display... where I could easily find and access them - smart kid, I was.) One day, when my parents were tired of all of my mess, Daddy told me that if I did not put my toys away he would take them all to the dump. Later, when he went to go somewhere, I ran through the house yelling "Daddy wait!" I handed him one of my toys and told him to take that to the dump too.
     Apparently, things didn't get easier for me when I got older, either. I remember many times when I was put on a timer and told if I didn't clean my room in that time period, my behind would be in some serious trouble. (My parents figured out I had to be put on a time crunch; I can be easily distracted.) Therefore, I became an expert at "speed cleaning." Speed cleaning was awesome, especially during college. My suitemate Katie told me once that I amazed her. When she would go to bed at 1am the night before roomchecks, my room would be a disaster. (I have laundry issues - lots of clothes and never enough space. Granted, part of my problem is the fact that I'm often too lazy to hang them up or put them away.) Mysteriously, when she woke up the next morning, my room would be immaculate and beautifully clean. I LOVE being such an amazing speed cleaner.

     BUT I don't WANT to have to speed clean. I WANT to always have things neat, organized, and clean. Apparently, it's a learning process. I've heard many other people with my problem joke that it's kind of like AA, but for messy people. haha.

     (Random, but just to make something clear: I may be messy, but please don't think I'm disgusting. I do NOT leave food lying around and there are NEVER bugs in my house. Nothing disgusts me more than a cockroach.)

     I have learned that speed cleaning often does not eliminate clutter - it only confines it in a inconspicuous and nice looking space. Believe me, clutter breeds, multiplies, and grows and grows... and before you know it, it looks like the clutter monster family has thrown up all over your living space. Therefore, it is necessary to "clean out" at least a couple of times a year. It's difficult to throw a lot of things away. I'm very sentimental about things so it's extra difficult for me, and Prince Charming also has a lot of junk he likes to hold on to - but I know I must do it anyway or we'll end up on that TV show 'hoarders.' (My Grandma B could have been on that show... it's scary how quickly those little piles can add up...) So, it's best to re-evaluate, toss, and move on!

     (Note: often this process is quite scary. It often gets worse before it gets better. Often this creates feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, fear and hopelessness - but keep plugging away. It will get better - but it wont if you stop.)

     I've started a nice little yard sale pile... I figure if I'm going to have to say "ta-ta" to my stuff, I should at least get a couple bucks for it! :)