The title of this post could reference many different things: returning to my childhood home after 25 years; purging the pantry and closets of long expired items; focusing my energies on benefitting myself and my family; the list could go on forever.
In July of this year (2018), my family and I moved back to my childhood home in Ortonville, Minnesota. The house has been vacant for the past two years and it was time to either allow someone else to sort through all of my childhood items and my mother’s things, or return to the scene of the of my youth and sift through everything myself. I decided, for a variety of reasons, that coming to Minnesota for an extended period of time would be the best for me and my family.
On television, the return to a childhood home is generally idyllic and heart-warming. In reality, we were confronted by a home that looked as though the residents just wandered off and never returned. The refrigerator was full of food, the cupboards were stocked with durable goods, and the smell of neglect and time was strong throughout the house.*
(*Neglect & Time smell musty, dusty, and potentially pesty. Note: cobwebs are required for full neglect.)
I am finally writing this, two months after our arrival in Minnesota. It has been two LONG months of sorting and sifting and hauling away. We have taken four van-loads of clothing to charity. For those thinking, “Bah, how many bags can you get in a van, anyway?!” The answer is a resounding 28 well-packed, large, black trash bags, if you still wish to allow passengers in the van. In total, we donated over 110 bags of clothing, many of which still had the tags on them.
We are definitely not done. We’ve merely made 50% of the main living space tenable for human functioning. But, painting season is upon us, and I’m itching to see some color on these walls. I’m also anxious to get the shop up and running so I can share some of these incredible finds.
My mom always wanted to have a lot of children. Instead, she got me (it could be argued that my temperament was like have many children). I have always been thrilled to be an only child. I couldn’t imagine having other kids around all of the time, breaking my toys or terrorizing me like so many of my friends’ siblings. Going though this house and having to handle each item makes me wish there were others to help in this project. For the first time in my life, I wish I had siblings.
I’m sure that will pass, once I’ve conquered this house.