In the middle

July 7th,  mid-point of my summer vacation.  I will go back to work one month from today. As I've mentioned in a couple of posts, I've been working on several projects this summer but the main task has been KonMari-ing my home.  (see The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo) and I've reached that mid-point, too, of organization vs. clutter explosion.

Stuff is, quite literally, EVERYWHERE.  Ack!

To put it gently, I'd not let you in my living room if you knocked on my door right now, even if you were my sweet mama. Oh, I'd bring you some sweet tea or lemonade in a mason jar with lots of ice and we could sit outside under the trees and chat.  But not.in.the.house.

Much progress has been made to be sure.  I have hauled bag upon bag to the thrift shop, and each and every Thursday my trash has been filled to overflowing. (my hubby says nothing else will fit in there, but I make it work each and every time. so what if the lid doesn't shut, amiright?!)

I have 2 boxes of ribbons and mum supplies to donate to our floral design class at the high school. I've taken 2 boxes of pretty papers and other scrapbooking supplies to my library office so they can be used by students needing stuff for projects next year. 

I've got 3 craft projects going right now.  These are things that have been sitting around my house for a couple of years now--intended to be cool stuff for the library that instead were just taking up space. This summer spray paint has been purchased and USED! My almost 13-year-old is working on creating a fabulous tabletop display for my library by decoupaging an old 3-legged table, spray painted red, with pictures from weeded graphic novels. I've painted an old globe with black chalkboard paint. You know, those Pinterest projects that never get done?  Well, they are finally happening, folks.

Momentum is a good thing, and I really need it to see me through.  I'm just in the middle.  4 more weeks to get things done (and up out of the middle of my living room. and my bedroom. and my closet.)

I have new piles of bags & boxes to be taken to the thrift shop (are you singing Macklemore in your head now, cause I am!) once I get a few more ready. I have more sacks of paper trash just waiting to be put in the large outside can (I know this sounds weird--but believe you me it only takes one week of not being able to fit your kitchen trash in the outside can because you already filled it with paper-trash-which-will-not-make-your-house-reek to teach you that it is worth the minor irritation.)

So, here I am in the middle of it all.  I'm feeling pretty good even though we are definitely at that it-has-all-been-dragged-out-so-I-can-look-at-it phase.  I try not to feel guilt that I am not letting my kids play with their friends inside the house just yet.  I know in the long run if I can make this summer REALLY count in the decluttering it will pay off for all of us with less chaos and more joy.