Covert Purging

So I was looking around the girls' playroom the other day and realized that it was beginning to look like a child's episode of "Hoarders".  There were bags and boxes of old toys, piles of small stuffed animals, and stacks of outgrown clothing and a path from the door to the extra fridge.  Far in the distance I could see the toys my kids actually wanted to play with....and they were completely unreachable.

Now that school has begun, it's just me and Goosie here during the day.  I was a "bad mommy" and plopped her in front of the television so I could start gutting the room.  Four yard bags full of priceless treasures my children will be devastated I threw out garbage, two bundles for recycling, and a couple of bottles of water cocktails later, I could see the carpet again and there was room to actually PLAY.

Of course, there may be questions later when one of the girls is searching desperately for "that one little pad of paper with Hello Kitty on the front" or the sheet of stickers they got from some random birthday party.  These questions will be answered with a shrug of my shoulders and a simple, yet non-incriminating "I really don't know...sorry, honey, guess you'll have to use one of the other 24 little pads of paper to write your notes that I will throw away after you fall asleep." 

Or maybe I shouldn't say that last part out loud.

Seriously, what is it with little girls and endless notes on tiny paper?  Is it just my kids who have that habit?  I'm sure we keep the "Tiny Pad Of Paper" people in business. 

And another thing... Polly Pocket shoes.  Seriously.  First, why do four year olds think they resemble chewing gum?  Second, well...Polly should have bigger feet so those things are easier to find in the carpet. 

While we're on the topic of annoying toys...anything with the word "moon" in the name is now banned from my house.  That stuff is just pure evil.


Back to the playroom purge....  I found boxes of papers that had been totally forgotten about.  You know it's been awhile since you really cleaned when you find things with a date on them from 2007. 

It can't be just me. Other houses have to have rooms like this one....right?  I mean, I can't be the only mom in the world to have a "junk room" as opposed to the more traditional "junk drawer"....right?  Other moms have kids who like to save every eraser top, every bouncy ball, every coin purse, every Happy Meal toy they've ever received........right?

Well, Peanut's bus will be here in about 30 minutes.  We shall see if she even notices that another two garbage bags of her priceless treasures crap she doesn't need/use/know she even has is missing.

Here's to covert purging!