Happy New Year!

I have spent much of today cleaning up. I haven’t done a full on scrubbing, yet, but when we left for our trek to the motherland (NJ), we left our house a mess. There was still wrapping paper all over the living room floor, clean laundry that needed to be folded, dishes to put away, etc. etc. So, today has been pick up everything I see and put it back in it’s place day. Do more laundry (how many pairs of socks do boys wear on vacation? Yeesh!), run the dishwasher.

As I have been picking up things and putting them somewhere else, I have thought a lot about space. There were some really odd things taking up prime real estate in our house. Baseball gloves that came in from the garage so they don’t crack over the winter but that never made it into the basement. Three pairs of shoes in the mudroom, right in front of the door (of course). A huge rock that my sons painted and gave to us as a doorstop. While a thoughtful gift that I am sure I will save until I die and they get it back, it doesn’t really need to be in the bottom of my closet taking up space. I put it in the attic. So, yeah, it’s still taking up space, but at least I won’t trip over it every day. And now the three pairs of shoes that were in the mud room (which is really too small and clearly not designed by anyone with small children and hats and coats and winter boots) are in my closet.

I love cleaning up. I get unnaturally happy when I do it. It’s like a clean slate. Or that feeling right after I brush my teeth in the morning and everything tastes fresh and cool.

One of my goals for 2014 is to not let things occupy prime real estate in my head or my heart. There are things I need to let go of. They are standing in the way of growth and productivity.

Risk is my #oneword2014. I hope to take some big risks this year. For me, letting go of things is a big risk. Letting go is not something that comes naturally or easy to me.

Risk=reward, right?