When winter comes, I crave hibernation. I know I should get outside and be in nature - or at least my backyard - but really when it comes down to it, I just want to be warm. My favorite seasons are the warmer months- spring and summer, so it just doesn't feel natural for me to be outside until I actually get outside and know that it is alright out there too. I really enjoy winter hiking with just my husband. I don't have to worry about someone being too cold or tripping and face planting into the snow. I don't have to worry about having to hold another human being who has been zapped of all of his energy in the cold woods. It's nice to just focus on me and my husband. Keith and I went on some amazing hikes (with snowshoes and without) last winter. It was so memorable because we worked as a team and thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated our surroundings.
But back to the warmth. I cherish being warm and cozy and inside. The past five days have been enjoyable because we accomplished a lot in our home organization. Mother nature dumped around 8 inches of snow on our area the day before Thanksgiving. We visited my father on Thanksgiving and when we returned the next day, we decided to use this opportunity to clean. We focused on the inside of our home and our garage all to better utilize the small space that we have. We realize that if people in the city can live in small apartments with multiple children, we can do it in our 1,000 square foot house. The way to get better use of our space is to part with items we don't use. We've been on a kick to minimize toys in the house: a few months ago I placed a whole bunch of toys that weren't getting played with into three Rubbermaid bins. Keith stored those in the garage attic.
In the house. we have a great organization system of colored bins and fabric boxes, but we weren't actually keeping our toys separated or organized, so it felt messy and chaotic, not clean and organized. Any and all toys were thrown in whichever box was empty and the kids played with barely anything they had because nothing was in the same place. If you have small kids, then you know how multiple pieces comes with one measly toy set. So Friday I tackled the chaos and organized EVERYTHING. The way to keep the organization, of course, is to ensure that our youngest doesn't dump everything in her path, which she is prone to do lately. And if she does, to put it back that day. Otherwise, we get lazy and it winds up in whichever bin is available, and then the vicious cycle towards chaos begins. Keith also created four bins for each of us to store the winter accessories like hats and gloves and scarves that we use on a regular basis.
Yesterday, we reduced clutter in the entrance way of the house by removing coats and jackets and bags that weren't being used and by placing our shoe bench in our vestibule, which is an unheated room in between our garage and our house. Then, we cleaned out our garage of bulky, broken, or unused toys or other household items and placed them in the front of the house, where they are sure to be taken if the garbagemen don't take them first.
Today, we're just relaxing in the warmth our cozy, organized house has to offer.
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