Cleaning Out My Closet

There are moments in your life that are fleeting, and then there are the moments when memories are made. Try to recall a moment in your life that changed you, I bet you can remember what you were wearing. When choosing an outfit, sometimes you realize you are dressing for a special occasion, but often you throw on something without realizing it may remain with you forever. Whether it was the funniest night of your life, or a tragic event that changed your future, the clothes you wore on that day are ingrained in your memories.

Today I cleaned out my closet. I used the rule of thumb, "If you haven't worn it in a year, it must go." As I sifted through the hangars, I pulled out hideous mistakes, along with too big, too small and too outdated to ever wear again. I also pulled out memories.

I pulled out the denim dress I wore home from the hospital when Nathan was born. I was under the impression that once you had a baby, you could fit into anything. It did fit, but my boobs did NOT. I remember the homecoming pictures with my beautiful baby, a very happy mommy and two large boobs hanging on for dear life. (Doug took the picture, I think the zoom feature was on.)

I pulled out a dark green blouse that I wore on my first girls weekend with my best friends from college. A tradition we've kept going that means the world to me. To reconnect with people who truly know you, is incredibly rejuvenating.

I pulled out a suit I wore to a job interview on 9/11. I was desperate for work after being laid off in L.A. I hated the job with every ounce in my body, but stuck with it until I found something better. The suit represented a day in history nobody will ever forget. It also reminds me of an important lesson. You are in control of your happiness. If you don't like something about your life, make a change.

I pulled out a dress I wore to a funeral of a very brave woman who lost her battle to Cancer. She had so much more life to live. The dress is much more than a very sad day, but a memory of a woman who showed others how to live a life filled with courage and kindness.

Finally I pulled out a dress I wore to my rehearsal dinner. A night filled with so many happy toasts, friends, and family. It was the start of the next ten years, and yet, I had no idea how good it would become. It was a moment in my life, in a strapless black dress with a fuchsia bow.

It turns out I didn't clean out my closet today, I took a trip down memory lane.

When you look in your closet tomorrow and think you have nothing to wear, take a second look at the clothes hanging in the back. They may remind you of a time in your life that changed you forever!

2015 - Move the Rowing Machine

This is the year! The year we start living without clutter! Living in a house where all things have a place, and I'm not constantly worried about being buried alive under Legos.

I want to turn on the fire place this year without having to worry about melting the toys set haphazardly in front of it.

I want to sit in my living room and not stare at my husband's rowing machine situated under the mantle. (The one that he promised he needed because he would use it every day!)

I want to open the upstairs closet to find a gift bag without shoving back a roll of tape, a balancing act of books and a few photo albums from 2004.

I could go on for days with all my wishes for 2015, but I'll keep it simple.

This is the year that I want to live in a house that I don't have to clean before people come over! I know that's a tall task for a family of 5, but we can do it! (It's a new year, I'm overly optimistic!)

I found a book titled, "It's All Too Much", by Peter Walsh. He's a professional organizer from the show Clean Sweep. It says the Master Bedroom is the most important room in the house. (I must start there.) It's where the parents find peace and calm, and set the mood for all relationships in the house.

The first step is to picture the Master Bedroom that you would want to live in. I tried that. It turns out it's the hotel room at the Rosewood. Since we can't move in, I'm going to recreate it!

I love the book so far. It's given a few very helpful tips.

1. If you haven't used it in 12 months. Get rid of it! Trash, donate, or give back to the original owner.
2. Decide the purpose of a specific room. Does each item in that room fit the purpose? If not, get rid of it.
3. Take 10 minutes every day to go through one area in your house. De-clutter! Get everybody onboard. (This might be an issue.)

A few year's back I was racing for an airplane in Boston. I was carrying my suitcase and running through the terminal. I realized I was out of shape, but really needed to make my plane. At that moment I made a change in my life. I set out to run a 1/2 marathon. Not because the 1/2 marathon sounded exciting, but I needed a goal to help me train. I joke that I keep in shape to prepare for an emergency, like running for an airplane.

The same is true for anything in life. Why wait? Start the change you want to happen now. 2015 is the year we dig out of Legos, and move the rowing machine!