I think May is one of the nicest months of the year. It's like a new baby. Flowers start to bud and bloom, baby birds hatch and one gets the feeling of starting over freshly. It's a new beginning!
One May in 1943 we had our first baby on Mother's Day. What a thrill it was to get a card on my breakfast tray that said "Happy Mother's Day!" Pam was absolutely perfect and adorable. By the way, in those days we stayed at the hospital for ten days after the birth. How do you like that? I didn't like it. I LOVED it!
Spring suggests that we start over; so let's begin today. What a perfect time to get our homes in order. If you've read Pam and Peggy's books, you know how to dig in and do it, but frankly I've never really understood their methods because, as they say, I was "born organized." They say to get three boxes, such as the kind Sunkist oranges come in, and lots of trash bags. They label one box "give away or sell," one box "put away," and the other "store." The trash bags are self-explanatory.
I like to start with closets and dresser drawers, because the weather tells me to switch from winter to summer clothing. When I de-junk, I always end up with a large plastic sack full of "give-away" items which I immediately take to the Goodwill. I've never found the need for the other three containers that Pam and Peggy suggest using. I never put things where they don't belong because that's a waste of time, so I wouldn't need a "put away" box because I put things away where they belong in the first place. The trash bags I don't get. Why would I ever put trash in my closets and drawers?
I can understand why a person would need to store seasonal items, but my situation is a little different. I don't need the storage boxes because my house is large enough to store clothing in closets and drawers in bedrooms that are not being used. Even though my husband has passed on, I've chosen to stay in our old family home where Pam and Peggy grew up. It may be a bit too much room for one person, but it's great for storage.
Our lives change with the seasons and as time passes our homes reflect the natural transition. First it's you and your loved one, then it's the two of you and your children. The next big change is when your children grow up and get married. Then grandchildren fill your home. Finally one of you has to take on the challenge of living alone when the other goes to heaven.
Spring cleaning isn't as much of a job as it was when I was young. All through this maze of life, we must remember to have fun and give lots of love to our families, the spring cleaning will take care of itself.
I don't get this web stuff, but according to my daughters, I guess I'll have another message next month. I saw a bumper sticker that said "Be kind to your children...they'll pick your rest home."
Love, Dee