It’s the new year and I, along with half of the world, am thinking about the things I want to do this year. Resolutions or whatever word you want to attach to it. I prefer to call them my “year-long to-dos.”
The first thing I want to do is get (and stay) organized. Like, truly organized. I know where most everything is, but in that “it’s behind that pile of books, under the blanket” kind of way. The best way for me to get organized is to do the second (and hardest) thing on my list: purge.
I actually started this process last week. I cleared almost everything out of our office, which had become our de facto storage area. Mike jokes that I am a borderline hoarder, and it’s kind of true. I have such a hard time getting rid of stuff. ESPECIALLY the thing taking up the most room in our office – outgrown clothes. Why is it so hard for me to part with the clothes my children have outgrown? But I’m doing it. All the clothes have been sorted and will soon find new homes. SOB.
I need to get better about making a schedule for myself. My kids are on a pretty good schedule, but I am not good at scheduling my own things. Mostly work time. In the past, I’ve felt guilty about getting work done while my kids are awake. But, if I only work when they’re asleep, I’m awake until the very wee hours of the morning…and since James is waking up so much lately, I’m getting unhealthy amounts of sleep. I’ve decided I’m going to work during one of James’ naps. Annie is getting so much better at independent play, so I think this is going to be doable (famous last words).
This also leads into my must-do: take better care of myself. I started on the healthier path last fall: exercising, eating well, and making good choices. Getting enough sleep (or at least, more sleep) is a huge part of that. I am going to get allergy tested, have a physical, the whole shebang. I also have to start the process of getting my teeth fixed…my teeth were no great shakes to begin with, but throwing up twenty times a day for nine months absolutely destroyed them. It’s awful. And it will take a ton of visits and money (boo) to get them fixed, but as of next week I will finally be finished paying my medical bills from the last two years. I can’t put off the teeth any longer, even though dental work terrifies me.
Most of all, I want to work on being a nicer person. I want to have a slower temper, and I want to do unexpected things for people. The tiniest thing can change a person’s entire day…buying a stranger’s coffee or sending a friend a real card in the snail mail, even sending a text or email saying, “Hi, I thought about you and it made me smile.” The power we have over others can be pretty amazing, and I want to teach my kids to do something good with their influence. If that’s the only thing I check off of my 2014 To Do List, I’ll consider the year a success.
Michele says:
Heather, my children are teens now, but I have been saving their special outfits, blankets, jerseys, sweatshirts for a patchwork quilt that I’m making them when they are adults. I’m also making myself one with both of their things. The other clothes I donated. I know my son will enjoy seeing his “blankie” again! Good luck with the list. You look great by the way. Loved the picture of you & your kids.
Barbi Emel says:
I was just going to suggest the same thing, I’ve heard of places that you can send the clothes to and they will make them.
Anne Younger says:
I have been doing the same. My oldest is almost 15 and the youngest is just shy of 5 months. I’ve been saving special pieces here and there from all 5 kids to make into a blanket. I decided what size squares I wanted to use when my oldest was a baby and have been cutting squares from the special pieces since. I can’t wait to start sewing it together in the fall when my youngest turns 1!
susan says:
Lol…watch one episode of hoarders and whammo bammo your prging. It must go can you tell I get creeped alittle by that show?! My boys are adults still at home and I finally,finally accomplished a preplan dinner menu. Yah for me Its so much easier to come home from work and not stand there having to think. Also, i love organizations. Your off to a great start. I just finished dental project on my mouth. 2 years equal thousands but feel tons better.
Tracy says:
I was just going to come on and make the suggestion about the quilt too. I WISH that I had done that, but I had gotten rid of their baby/toddler/little kid clothes by the time I heard about it.
Maria Keil says:
I really like your “year-long to-dos.” instead of New Years resolutions! My primary thing to do this year is to also get organized and stay organized!
A note on your year-long to-dos about sending out cards to people to let them know you are thinking about them. I have a friend at church whose going through cancer treatment & I started to send her cards every week which I really didn’t think anything about. She has told me her much they mean to her.
kandi ann says:
You could auction off the kids clothes for friends of Maddie. (When? I have no idea :o) but everyone always comments on them.
amourningmom says:
Your year long 2014 to do list sounds great! Those are on my list too – just need to find a starting place with the organizing! Happy 2014.
Karen says:
I love your list! My youngest is nearly 3 and I am just starting to make myself a priority! Kudos for you for doing it sooners. Do not lose sight of your happiness because it trickles down to your family in so many ways.
Happy mommy = happy family. I truly believe it because I have seen the opposite. My kids worry about my health now and I do not want that for them.
hugsxoxo
Maris says:
I’m a hoarder too.:)
Aubrey says:
Getting rid of kids clothes is the hardest. I am really bad about it too. I have a box full of my ‘favorites’ that I am saving to make a quilt too. How I don’t know cause I can’t sew a straight line at all. Even with my sewing machine. I am also really bad about stuffed animals. I am working on it all too.
I love your list of to do’s. I think they are all great things to strive for. Good luck!
Casey says:
I think your list is great! Teeth are so important – and so expensive. Even with insurance, it can be a pain! I call it a necessary evil.
For your kids clothes, I do wonder if you may be able to sell them to your readers? Not sure how it worked, but Kelle Hampton did a clothing sale on Instagram, and people were all over it! She would pair a few pieces together and sell for whatever $10, $25…May be too much work though. Any time I think I’ll do a yardsale or consign, I just give in and drop everything off at Goodwill
MG says:
I hear you on so many of those things! One of my new most favorite blogs is http://www.aslobcomesclean.com Great ideas on purging and getting to the nitty gritty of it all. Good for you for trying to make yourself a priority. We moms shouldn’t be THE only priority but we shouldn’t be so far down on the list either.
rc says:
Being a nicer person – what a lovely goal! I think I’ll steal that one. Thanks for the idea!
Chris says:
I made a quilt for my kids with the fabric from their jammies. The material is usually so soft and they just loved it. Some of the jammies I had made for them so those squares were extra special. Also, my sister made bedroom throw pillows out of her son’s sports t-shirts, they were really cute on his bed (for when your kids get into sports activities.) Usually they get a t-shirt every time they’re on a team. Just some ideas.
JennS says:
I was looking through the Citrus Lane Facebook posts and they keep sharing Mike’s Buzzfeed posts! I love it!
Sarah says:
Just a suggestion. Make a tote full of special toys for Annie. When it’s your work time, she can get out the special tote, but she can only play with those toys when you’re working. It might help keep her occupied a little longer than usual, and you can get some more work done!
Glenda says:
My hubby is a hoarder… I am not.
So for example: Every Jan. I go through our clothes and donate the ones that don’t fit/ don’t want.
Every Jan. I go through our paper files and remove last years paperwork and shred.
As a mother it’s so hard to put yourself first, but healthy happy mama = healthy happy kiddos.
Good luck! You can do it!
Your list sounds so doable
Lisa says:
For some reason, I haven’t gotten rid of hardly any of my daughter’s clothing yet, and she’s a definite only child. I have a bin of special stuff (maybe for a quilt?), then I have this idea I’ll sort through the rest of the clothes and list some for sale (only the stuff that’s in great condition, of course). But … that hasn’t happened. I need to just dump it all at Goodwill, take a deep breath, and be done with it. Except for the special bin.
Every kid is different, but here’s our current independent play win: Melissa and Doug Water Wow Coloring Books: http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Water-Coloring-Book/dp/B009B7F6DO
We have that animals one and the vehicle one. I bought them for airplane trips (perfection), they’re reusable, and my daughter loves to camp out under the dining room table with them and will spend a solid 30+ minutes painting. I turn on some tunes so we’re not just being silent weirdos and focus on my work as long as I can.
I’m glad we have two of them so that I can paint with her (on a plane or on the couch) when she wants to be a little more interactive. I won’t lie, it’s relaxing and fun for me too!
Adrianne says:
Aw, I’ve always loved all of Annie’s clothes. I wouldn’t want to get rid of them either! If you want to sell any of them though, I’d buy some! And then my two year old Annabel can wear them and I can send you pictures of Annabel in Annabel’s clothes:) Seriously.
And your last item is so me. I want to have more patience and a slower temper. You seem like the nicest person ever, so I’m not sure I believe that this is something you need to work on:)
Jordan says:
Love the idea of making a quilt/ blanket with old clothes! I intend to do that w old college tees once I graduate. My Mom’s made some of my favorite shirts that don’t fit me anymore into pillows. I love them.
I’m bad about hoarding/organizing too. I like my organized chaos, gosh dangit!
The past two years I’ve taken on a “one word” resolution, based off the My One Word book. Instead of coming up with a list/plan of things to do(that I never accomplish!) I come up with one word that I need to focus on and work on it for the year. My word this year is “love”- loving myself better, loving God, loving others, and allowing others to love me more. It’s going to be interesting to see how my year unfolds, last year focusing on a single word really helped me center on getting stuff done for myself. Good luck with yours!
Christa says:
Love your list! I second all the other commenters who said to keep a few really special things or make a blanket out of some of the favorite clothes. When I started going through my mom’s house after she passed, I was amazed to find how much of our things she had kept, a lot of which I would have told her to get did of if she’d asked me about it 9 months ago but am SO thankful that she kept and probably will bring out for my own kids when I have them