Minimized Living Room

Has it already been a week since I last blogged?! I'm trying for at least once a week.
We're still dealing with sniffles around here. Thanks heavens no one has coughed in days. The toddler has been loving tumbleweed's "nose bubbles" though. It's both gross and cute!

It's amazing what happens when you let go of things. You start to forget about them very quickly. Igloo still wants to get a flat screen, wall mounted, smaller television someday. But for the most part we don't miss its intrusive presence in our home. We have a small radio/ipod player we've been using for music and the news, but the big stereo with the 5 cd changer is gone.
The antique radio that was my MIL's but is completely useless -other than being old and cool and the perfect size for a fish tank-and is waiting for a new home. The frogs instead have gone into the kids' room on a dresser where they are happier I think. We have also kept the boom box for cds. But we haven't really used it. And if we don't use it within a year I think it needs to go.
So, I know I could minimize more. But I'm not in a contest with anyone but myself so don't compare me :P And don't compare yourself to me either. Unless it motivates and helps you.
See my living room? What's gone is the tv and it's accompanying stand and two book shelves.
We used to have two large bookcases near the entrance and they were honestly nothing but clutter magnets. So we moved them to what is now the "play room". This entire wall was so cluttered!!!! That's a picture of Jack in front of it last October. Now there's nothing there but a wall (that grey tote of baby clothes is under the house). Eventually when we have the money saved, we're going to take out the wall between the kitchen and living room where the piano is. But it's load bearing so we have to see how much that will cost.
It used to feel so cramped with the couch and bookshelves by the door and look at the stuff on the floor!
My living room feels so much more spacious now! I love it! Now there are two book shelves, a sofa, and the piano. The recliner went back to grandmas but we want to get a loveseat or something. Those curtains are too dark for this space. But I love them. Someday I'll use something lighter.
Can I tell you secret? I think we could ditch another bookcase too. I do! Notice they aren't immaculate? I refuse to make you think I have a "showcase house" even if my floors are clean.
Now the point of all of this again is not to see who can live with the least amount of stuff. My biggest pet peeve about my "small house sites" is it's unrealistic for people with kids! None of those people ever seem to have kids! It does seem like a "who can have the least stuff contest". No, it's really supposed to be about not feeling overwhelmed by it all. When I tell my kids to clean up their toys and they start to cry and say "it's too much though!" then I agree and say, "all right. There are too many toys. Let's get it to where there are enough instead of too many." And we pare it down and pare it down until they can handle it.
Then the in-laws decide my kids are deprived and cycle repeats. It's the circle of life I suppose.
That's easy to do with our kids' things, at least for me. It's much harder to it with our own, but we MUST. My kids have to see me give up my own treasures in order for them to learn that I am not my possessions and neither are they. We cannot let our things define us!
Having a home that angels would feel welcome in is more important than having a home with impressive things and if I want my children to learn that, I have to be willing to live it. And not half-heartedly.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by things in your home start small! You CAN do it and it's so worth it!!

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