Tchotchke

I actually pulled out the old Webster's collegiate dictionary for the correct spelling of junk. Tchotchke, we all have it. It is like a parasitic infection that we did not ask for. We went to dinner with Peggy, Andy and the kids last night then we went to their house. They finished their living/dining rooms and the house is amazingly gorgeous! I am so proud of their hard work as the house reflects so much of Andy's hard work and talents. Vic couldn't help to notice that everything was perfect. I was totally inspired to wake up this morning and to begin my de-tchotchke routine. Every time I see "How clean is your house", I clean my house out of sheer anxiety that my home may end up that way! Peggy has the house so elegantly free of clutter and so zen. I want that feeling of mise in place, everything in it's place. We have so much "little" kid stuff that the boys have outgrown and that I have not had time to really sort through. I started with the top right kitchen cabinet. The line about tchotchke being a parasite is not false. So much of what I found tucked way back is stuff we got as "party favors," promotional water bottles and mugs and stuff like sippie cups. Well a full trash bag later and I reclaimed that cabinet. I don;t need a bigger kitchen, I need to get rid of what I don;t really use! I recycled what I could like the Carnival cruise line "brandy" looking glasses we got on our honeymoon. I have never used them. They have been cluttering a cabinet for 14.5 years! I am on a campagne of a clutter free life. A life free of party favors, class "gifts," and unnecessary hoarding of something that I may need later (a plastic cup from Applebees that the kids can use for watercolor painting projects). I challenge all who read this entry to really look at what we are doing and what we are having to expend energy on to organize and care for stuff that is nothing but an ATTACHMENT.. AHHHH the A word! Yes folks Attachment to tchotch! Wish me luck as I begin cabinet #2~