Well, We're as Ready as We're Going to Be

I had the incredible good fortune to be driving back from the kids' school this morning (trash day) in time to see one of our newer neighbors setting out a bazillion boxes for the recycling. She and her husband have lived on our street for more than a year but they have been remodeling which means they only just now unpacked their kitchen. I scored all of these great boxes--with lids (how much do I love those lids!)--and so I set about filling the dang things up in anticipation of our move to Long Island in March. (Well, okay, actually, I was really making a last ditch effort to declutter our house before it goes in the market tomorrow.)

(TOMORROW!)

[Brief Interlude while I do my "oh-please-oh-please-oh-please-let-it-sell-fast-and--for-a-lot-of-money-oh-please-oh-please-oh-please" dance. Join me, won't you?]

I know I have been trying to declutter for about a month or more now but today I unleashed my secret weapon: my mother. Dudes, you just won't even believe it. We worked like freaking bar-backs --I am not even kidding. My injured foot is completely fried and my back hurts. But my mom? She went off to have her hair done. The woman is unstoppable.

I'm so proud of how my house looks right now. I know it's just impossible for us to live this way on a daily basis--especially since I've stashed away the toaster oven and the bread basket and the--HELLO--coffee grinder for these pictures, but honestly, I still think it's the prettiest house. It amazes me that in the 7.6 years we've lived here, I have never for one instant had a sense of buyer's remorse or of anything other than this being HOME. That's a pretty awesome thing, in this day and age.

Okay, pictures. Note the fresh floral arrangements my mom put together. (Click to see larger versions open right up in new windows. Because I ROCK that way.)

Living Room:



Dining Room:


Kitchen:


Den:


I think the biggest difference is in this room because Cynthia told me that my wall of books was way oppressive to people walking into the room. So, although I grumbled about it, I decluttered the freaking Wall of Oppression, muttering to myself the whole time. Just look at how great it looks though, especially after my mom sort of arranged things in that way that only people with real taste can.

I don't know. I think a big part of the lesson I am learning is about holding on to too much STUFF. And I'm learning how much more at peace I am when I'm not surrounded by all of that crap --er--stuff. So, tonight, I think my parents are going to take my kids out to eat and I'm going to sit here in my beautiful house and count my blessings. And maybe I'll watch that HGTV show, "My House is Worth WHAT??"