Cleaning Out The Closet

I am very much in "Spring Clean" mode. Today, I cleaned out the clothes portion of my closet- organized everything by color, and whether it was "work" or "casual." Ah, I love a clean closet. Next comes the dresser drawers. Shudder. But this is the easy part. I always have an easy time parting with the pants I know I'll never fit into again, or that sweater that just isn't my style anymore, because I know someone will get good use out of them. I'll be making a trip to http://www.goodwill.org/ in the near future. Although, I'm holding onto those skinny jeans. They are my motivation; mark my words, I will wear those again.

It's the "stuff" that's hard to part with- the boxes of pictures that didn't make frames or photo albums... but I still want. Christmas cards, wedding invitations... just stuff that piles up over time.

But, this year, I'm surprisingly ok with tossing out the old, and "ushering" in the new. Didn't that sound so therapeautic? I think it's because last year, I didn't have time for a "Spring Cleaning." I didn't have time for a cleaning of any kind. (For those of you disturbed by that sentence... I did manage to shower once or twice.) I worked a lot, and when I wasn't working, I was tired, or stressed. I didn't make time for what I wanted, or even what I needed- because I was too overwhelmed to even think about it. So there was no Spring Cleaning... and no soul-cleaning, either.

When I made my list of resolutions this year, I thought I was making "goals." But I now realize, if I had to sum my list into one sentence, it would be... to take care of me this year. And that means loving every minute of free time I have with my man, and making special trips to see my family, and working out, and starting a blog. Finding a church. Having a better attitude about work. Doing things that make me happy, and healthy, and moving forward into a new year a better version of myself than last year's me. I'm digging through boxes, and digging deep into me. I'm tossing out clothes, and saying goodbye to last year's worries. It's a new year... and a new me.

So, hello, closet of 2010. You're organized now; the pants are hanging just right, the Spring dresses in a row, ready to be worn. But it's ok if things get a little messy now and then. The photos and cards from the last year are tucked away. But they won't ever be out of reach- and new ones will take their place. The shoes are safely in their boxes. They took me a lot of places last year. But they're ready to walk me through a million miles of special memories this year, too.

See what a little Spring Cleaning can do?!

... by the way, any chance the rainbow-colored pancho will come back in style?