When your home for 6 months, surrounded by 4 walls, and remodeling a kitchen during that time, one can feel like things are out of control and you tend to get a bit stir crazy. You have a lot of time on your hands to clean. I don’t mean wash the floors and dust the ceiling fans clean. I’m talking about performing a whole Marie Kondo clean. I’ve only watched the show maybe twice, but I got the gist right away.

I wanted a fresh start, new kicks, get rid of everything. Out with the old and in with the new. My house needed a detox. If it didn’t bring me joy, then it served no purpose in my home. Toys, clothes, shoes, knick knacks……gone.

We definitely needed to free up some storage space and get organized, so when I came across the bins of baby clothes and toys, I had to make a tough choice. Keep or let it go? I was greatly tempted to donate it all. But when I opened those bins, I automatically turned to mush, yet again, taking that trip down memory lane.

I give all of you credit who can part with those special memories. The first Halloween costume, their favorite onsies (my favorite onsies), first pair of shoes, tiny little Christmas dress, the outfit you brought them home in from the hospital. The rattles, the first sippy cup, the first book you read to them and the first book they read to you. And the first little lunch box you sent them off to preschool with. I have all thier scribbles and scrabbles, homemade cards and that picture that was supposed to be Mommy but looked like a one eyed monster.

A while back when the girls outgrew the rocking chair, and the nursery became a big girl room, I no longer needed it to rock them to sleep. I regretfully sold it to a complete stranger because we simply didn’t have the space to keep it. The picture is burned into my brain of when the gentleman came to pick it up. My oldest cried, begging me not to give it to him. The poor guy was put in an awkward situation, like watching a bad break up. I let the chair go knowing it would be in another happy home. I wish I never did. It was such an important part of their childhood and important part of motherhood. I always think about that chair, wondering if it would be weird to contact the owner so I could buy it back. But, it’s gone, lesson learned.

All these things bring me joy, and for now, I am perfectly content knowing the happiest of memories are my treasures, safe and secure right where they need to be, in plastic bins.

PS. If it’s in your heart, it’s worth keeping.