clean it out

After the holidays and the dust begins to settle I always seem to realize that there is cleaning to be done! Not just running the vacuum but also looking at the boxes that haven't been opened in the last year or the clothes that stayed in the back of the closet that I never even contemplated wearing. So, as I enter the new year I have challenged myself today to make a fresh start, not just vacuum but also mop the floors - get rid of more dirt and get that fresh smell, and not just rearrange things but really look at them and make decisions about what clothes I'll wear and what dishes I've never used... it's hard to give away things that were thoughtfully given to me over the years but there is also no reason to hold on to them, especially when they may be useful or at least appreciated by somebody else so I'm starting the give away pile again!