Spring Cleaning

If there is one thing I have learned since I became a parent, it's that kids are pack rats. They don't ever want to get rid of ANYTHING. It doesn't matter if they haven't touched it in over a year. Half the parts can be missing, or it can be one small part of something and they have no idea what it goes to, but they don't want to get rid of it because "Mooooom! It's miiiiine!"

Every year my kids DREAD hearing me say the words spring cleaning. They know I am going to go through all of their toys and get at least a bag....maybe two...of trash. They HATE it. Well, this year, they are going to hate it even more. This year is going to be a spring cleaning like they have never known. Today after they left for school, I made a phone call, and a few minutes ago, I had someone deliver THIS:



Why do I need a dumpster? Well a couple of reasons. Number one being that I am also a pack rat, and have enabled my children to become pack rats. I think it was because my parents were also pack rats, and they enabled me. Maybe it's just a human thing. Maybe we all do it, but I am sick of it. We decided it's time to go through the ENTIRE house and get rid a of a ton of crap we don't need.

Another reason is because in the past when we have decided to get rid of things, we bag or box it up, stick it in the garage and say "In a week or two we will borrow Dad's truck and take that to the landfill." Well, three years of that has resulted in this:

With the exception of the bikes and the recliner, most if not all of this is trash. Now, the garage isn't one I can park my car in or anything. Reason being some genius built the garage with a wooden floor and then didn't repair a leaky roof. Most of the floor has rotted out and it DEFINITELY won't support a car. I would like to be able to get my bikes, my grill and my lawn mower in and out without a fight though. The recliner stays because my dog uses it as a bed when she is outside. The rest of this crap is just that.....CRAP and is going into the dumpster. I have it for the next two weeks, and it only costs $30 each time they come empty it. They only do that when I call to have it done, so they aren't charging me for emptying a half full dumpster or anything.

I'll have to do before and after shots of the closet in my room, the kids closet and the pantry, which are the main areas of concern. And of course I will be including after photos of the garage too. Tonight we have bible study, so between dinner, homework, bible study and all that, there isn't a lot of time for anything else, but tomorrow........ oh tomorrow the fun begins!
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

(I couldn't resist the evil laugh. It just felt right!)