Pandora’s Box (or The Big Purge-Part Deux)

I came home from grocery shopping this morning to find my husband taking just about everything out of our storage closets in our basement. A more accurate description would be that our storage closets exploded and threw everything out into our family room. I am taking this as a clear sign that Grant is taking matters into his own hands, with or without me.  I am tempted to share a picture of this “project”  but I won’t for fear of getting a call from the producers of Hoarders. Once you get something like this started it really is a Pandora’s box of….schtuff. It’s like more and more keeps coming out leading to more decisions and things to sort through and a lot of pondering on why on earth did I keep that?!?

Most of the things he has pulled out we were aware that was down her such as 4 bed-in-a bag sets, three comforters, a space bag with three flattened pillows and another with blankets and a crib bedding set, 4 or so assorted containers of holiday decorations, small baby items and mementos from each of the kids that we want to keep, some of my grandmother’s dishes, my wedding dress from my first marriage, etc.  Not too bad really. Okay, I know, the wedding dress…Grant has moved this huge, awkward box at least a half a dozen times. But I cannot get rid of it. I love this dress! Aside from my oldest daughter of course, this dress was my most favorite thing to come from that first marriage. Seriously, it is an awesome gown!

However, Grant also made some interesting “discoveries” such as a couple of photo albums from that first marriage mentioned above, another box of mine marked “college” filled with text books, some from college and some from high school.  Contes Sympathiques by June K. Phillips…because you never know when someone might have the urge to read French. A high school English Grammar book incase the French thing doesn’t work out. American Government, Western Civilization, Criminology, and A Beginner’s Guide to Becoming a Counselor, kept for good measure. He found two sets of curtains for our bedroom, too, that I thought I got rid of years ago. Hmmmm.

We also found that we have another complete set of 16 wine glasses (8 for red, 8 for white), another small crock pot bringing my total to 6, a complete set of our everyday drinking glasses and a box of 4 place settings of our everyday dishes. More old pictures in frames, old stuffed toys. Oh, and much to Grant’s dismay, more Longerberger baskets.

I did make Grant’s day on two accounts: (1) I gave the go ahead to get rid of most of this stuff (not the wedding dress though, or the French book) and I have a charity pick up scheduled for next week! (2) cleaning and organizing actually relaxes him. It’s true. He will tell you that himself. So, really, I am a great wife by making sure he will always have a project to tackle. I may just sort through a few things to keep before packing them up for charity…you know, for future relaxation.