Spring Cleaning

As I put my third load of washing in this morning and stared at the next three, I thought to myself "this is worse than doing my own washing." So what exactly am I doing? Why so much washing? Why isn't it 'mine'? Am I mad? Then I thought "who else does this?" So let me enlighten you.

Spring is well underway and the spring cleaning is going very slowly. My main issue is that I am a hoarder. It's not news to any regulars over here at Crafting a Daydream and probably not to those who craft either. I'm sure plenty of you have a 'stash'. I feel like my hoarding comes from forming sentimental attachments to material objects. Probably due to lack of security growing up or something. I am absolutely convinced I will be able to re-use or up-cycle everything at some point. This is causing me cringe feelings and creating huge piles of stuff in our modest house. Over the last few years I have had several clear outs which have resulted in me putting piles and piles of clothes in the garage and vowing that if I don't take anything out of these piles in six months, I'll just nip them off to a charity shop. I never have.

In the three years I have been in my house, having moved from Sheffield to Cambridge, I have been married, had a baby, been through an emotional/physical roller coster, dealt with a family life changing 'issue', grown up a bit more, changed my lifestyle and still, I don't see this as a reason for a change of wardrobe even though most of my stuff still exists from pre-twenty...yes PRE-20. That's um.... *cough*7*cough* years ago maybe..... So why can't I just throw the stuff out? I convinced myself I would use some fabric for crafting and hid behind that as well. Ridiculous. In the midst of preparing for a second child and realising space is reducing, especially with my also being a child minder, I have bitten the bullet. I'm not actually finding it that hard. I think it's because as my life situation has changed dramatically and I feel more secure and happy in my environment and with the people around me, as ridiculous as it sounds, I feel like I am really not bothered about the pair of beautiful pj's that no longer fit me, because I can just go buy a pair that I can actually wear. Realistically I am NEVER going to fit into ANY of this stuff and if I did, I would look ridiculous. I deserve new stuff. There I said it. I might have to raise a few pennies and wait till I lose post baby weight but thats ok. I'll have something to look forward to!

So why the washing? Like an idiot I stored all of the clothes in the garage, cue damp smell and spider webs. I know that when donating to charity, most of the clothes get thrown away but that won't stop me feeling good about making a donation and if I donate clean clothes, which, let's face it, is just good manners if you're going to bother, then they will use more of the stuff. I figured I better get to work after putting it off for so long. So my kitchen is currently a laundrette, my currently damp garden is a 'drying' arena (ergh) and my bed is a mess as I brutally rip clothes from my wardrobe and don't think I wont be doing the same to Hubby B's.

Next up in my spring cleaning mission? A trip to the tip with the pile of 5 or so boxes of just rubbish, binning/recycling the pile of magazines from which I vowed I would cut inspirational pictures and setting up eBay to sell some old handbags, books and jewellery. Well, as good as donating to charity feels, I need to fund my new wardrobe somehow!  It might be worth noting that I haven't made reference to what I will be doing with my stashes of yarn, pretty paper, storage vessels etc....I WILL use them for crafts ;-)

Happy spring cleaning,

Mrs Crafty B