How Much Halloween Is Too Much?

We are just about to start a remodel. Perhaps the best thing about this entire project is that I am going to have to finally go through all of our JUNK and sort it out.

You know the 3 usual categories, right? JUNK, DONATE and KEEP. Yes, I know these categories, too, but I'm having a hard time with the most important ones: JUNK and DONATE.

As I spent hours this morning dragging bins out of the garage, I had to ask myself, "Just how many Halloween decorations does one family need?"

I have bins of skulls, jack o lanterns, costumes, candles, well, you name it, I probably have it in there somewhere. As I stacked the bins as high as I could, to eye level at least, I found none of the Halloween decor migrating toward JUNK or DONATE.

Maybe I will star in a special episode of Halloween Hoarders? I can't bring myself to give one little iota of my Halloween JUNK away.

Spring Re-Organizational Fever: Hoarding

I am shuffling the stuff lately. I am tired of the bric a brac that sneaks into my house when I'm not looking.

Does anyone else have this problem? Oftentimes, I know I'm in trouble because one of my girls says, "And I got it for free!" What? Just what did you get for free? And, their version of free is imprisoning me in my house on a Thursday morning.

I live in a very creative environment. I have very creative kids. I love the half-finished stories about elves and the half finished sketches of horses. The sculptures made out of the "free" stuff. It is hard for me to part with any creation. I know the feeling of loss, when I've lost a story, or a list, or even a bill. I try to keep it all.

Thus, the shuffle. Is there a Hoarders show about kid's artwork and school projects? Won't we need that diorama someday? Ruth just might finish that half-sewn skirt from scrap material donated by my neighbor. What if, what if, what if?

And, because we are so creative, I am the most creative of all--thinking up scenarios where all of this "stuff" might be needed.

It's true. I need medication, therapy, or possibly both!