I am halfway through my 52 week challenge! I have to say that it is getting easier and easier to do. Now, if I see something that I've been telling myself I will get rid of when I clean, I don't wait until I clean! I pick it up and get rid of it. Currently, those things are going out to the garage into one of two piles, donate or garage sale. I know you are probably saying that I'm not really getting rid of it. But, I think it counts because I am regularly taking things to be donated. I don't have too many things that just need to go to the trash because I am good about throwing away things that should be tossed. BUT, that brings us to this week's challenge.
I have kept every card and note that I have ever been given since I was born. You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not. I have all of the notes that my friends and I passed back and forth in middle school. Do you have any idea how many show boxes that is? I decided it was time to clean those out.
I will say that this challenge took longer than some of the others. As I was going through all of the cards, I made sure to read them. It is time to stop keeping them, but I did want to read them. I know I won't remember what they all said, but I read them anyway. I went through my notes first and most of those I did not read, I just made a note of who it was from and smiled fondly at the memories of the people that gave them to me. I did open a few and had to laugh at the things we wrote and to remember who are middle school crushes were. Those went into the recycle bin. I considered shredding them, but I don't think anyone cares who my middle school crush was.
Then, I started going through cards. Some, I did keep. The 2nd birthday card from my Motch was something I wanted to keep. Others, I read and smiles at and put in the "to go" pile. I let go of many things that I've been holding on to and I thing that was good for me. I held on to the last card my mom sent me because I need to, I'm not ready to let that go. I held on to a couple from people that were very close to me. I will say that I shed more than a few tears reading the cards. Sympathy cards from when we lost mom, birthday cards from loved ones that are gone and lost friends, and even a few just because. All in all, it was an emotional cleaning, but it needed to be done and done it is. I won't forget the people that gave me the cards and I won't forget that they care about me and really that is what is most important.
What did you get rid of this week?
