"Why do you want to keep the paper booklet that you made two years ago?" I said to my third grade daughter.
"I don't know. I like it," she replied.
"We can throw away the bag of Valentine's now, right?" I asked.
"But I like them!" she squealed.
"You can't keep every scrap of paper you've ever made or been given sweetie," I tried to explain.
"Why?" she asked.
"Why do you need to keep the old birthday cards from last year?" I wondered.
"They are really pretty!" she answered.
I think my daughter is a hoarder. She can't let go of anything! On the other hand, I think she might just be a teacher one day. She collects things that she might need or want to use someday.
We are trying to do some cleaning, sorting, rearranging in preparation for the new puppy who will officially arrive in about three weeks. We started in the kid's bedrooms.
I am of two minds when it comes to cleaning out toys...I can clean them up (the help from the kiddos) and then fight to keep them picked up off the floor so still nameless puppy won't chew on them OR I can let puppy chew on them in an attempt to thin out the Toys R Us explosion of toys that we have at our house.
Some things I have been wondering:
Would the kids actually notice if I cleaned things out of their rooms and found them a new home?
If they did notice, would they actually care?
Is it wrong to want to take a trash bag into the bedrooms and just pitch some stuff?
I know someday I will miss the toys. I will miss stepping on Legos and Barbie brushes. I will miss trying to find a place for all the toys in our not big enough house. Today...not so much.
My children are total hoarders as well! I have to do certain sensitive cleaning when they are out of the house!
ReplyDeleteBut, I have a bit of the hoarding gene as well. I am cleaning out our attic...shocked at what I have stored up there.
I loved how you began your post with dialogue; it really drew me into your world! What a sweet little conversation. I must admit, I am more like your daughter. I have never ever regretted a single thing I've kept. It's a real problem. :)
ReplyDeleteMy oldest is only 3, and we have already had to fight the toy explosion! That is a good description for it. I tried to throw out a few of the yucky stuffed animals and the bag was discovered. Now I have to start my collection over. :( I think we are doing them a favour when we cull for them.
ReplyDeleteI still have a bag of stuffed animals saved from my daughter! She was the only girl in both sides of the family for years, and was given so many, kept some on shelves in her room, rarely touched, so we gave many away & now I wrap these up at Christmas for her daughters. They now have all the toys saved too-Fisher Price little people, lincoln logs, etc. But you know I did have an estate sale last year & got rid of tons of stuff, so I have much less. Don't know what to say except your daughter might change when she gets more into the pre-adolescent stage, or maybe she can keep a treasure box of a few of the cards, etc. Best to you, the clutter does weigh you down.
ReplyDeleteI used to think my Maddie was a hoarder because of the sheer number of pacifiers she insisted on having in her crib. ha ha ha.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to throw some stuff out. Just don't let them see you.
It's the exact opposite in our family! I am the hoarder and my boys throw out everything!
ReplyDelete