Whether we carry our baggage inside or out, we all have our own load to bear. My ten year-old daughter’s room is no different. Her biggest issue is The Paper Plague. She starts projects, usually stops mid-page, then stuffs it 
in a drawer, on a surface or under her bed. We tackled her desk, then her floor, then her drawers. By the time we had gotten to her shelves, I had engaged in full-blown ruthlessness. I even tossed old paint-by-number pictures that never made it in their frames, much less on the wall.
We engaged in what Arielle Ford calls ’space clearing’. When we unload our junk, we make room for new experiences. I tried to convey this notion to Sophia:
“All of your unused paper is in this drawer,” I happily pointed to her top desk drawer that was bulging with supplies. “All you need is a new concept,” I told her, mimicking what my cosmetician had told me just a day before (of course, she was trying to sell me a new product line; I was merely trying to sell Sophia on the idea of cleanliness!).
Toss out three things you no longer need. Go to one drawer and empty it. Evaluate what you’ve been keeping and why. Then, if you really don’t need it, give it away or a toss.
I can already breathe easier in Sophia’s room. Now, all I need to do is tackle my own…
2 Comments
July 12, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I loved this! and I can totally relate. My own daughter is addicted to crafts so there’s a lot of craft items and paper in her room. It’s an ongoing task keeping everything organized but definitely worth it. You really do feel a sense of peace in a cleaner space.
July 12, 2009 at 7:08 pm
We danced in her room this evening ~ I hope she sleeps better now. Thanks for sharing your insights, Dawn. Hope you come back often!