Oh my....who knew it was going to be this hard!

I have worked just about every morning this week on cleaning out that upper back bedroom. I can only handle it for about 30 minutes at a clip and then I just have to go and do something else. (I'm a little ADD that way.) 

It gets hot up there after lunch, so that is when I deal with whatever got yanked out of the closet, out from under the bed, or out of a basket etc...Because the room was my daughters when she was little, today, I actually started to run into my son's old things. Old collectibles, sports balls, shoes...and YUCK, a jock strap...YUCK! 

I have managed to sell a few things online and have a great big box ready for our upcoming yard sale. I post pictures online of the things I want to sell and see who bites. Anything that is not sold by the weekend will go into the outdoor Yard Sale we will have next month. (I hope) 

I also have a box ready for donations. I will need to get it out of here before the daughter gets back from her trip, or I won't be able to get rid of any of it....

Here's some pics of the progress thus far...

 

I probably should have taken a picture of the HUGE pile of trash that was put out by the curb for yesterday's pick up, but I was just too embarrassed.

Cleaning Out

Today I begin the sad and daunting task of cleaning out my son's old room. This is rather bittersweet for me. I have to finally admit that he will not be coming back here to live when he graduates in August. I wonder if every parent goes through this or is it just me?

I have decided to turn the room into a retreat for me. I want a place that is cozy and cute that I can enjoy.  We have been using that little room as a dumping ground for anything we didn't want to deal with. The attic is full of who knows what, the closets have clothes that haven't been worn since 1978 and we won't even talk about the floors! This room has become the giant vacuum cleaner of the house! If it is lost, it is probably hidden up there behind or under something.

I will blog about my progress as I go along. I hope this keeps me motivated enough to get it done. Please don't judge me...but here are the before pics.

If I am not out by lunch time, someone send in a search party!

The ALMOST empty nest.

This is officially the beginning of our youngest child's summer between her junior and senior year of high school. I find that I have mixed feelings about this. One part of me is excited that I have one more year until I get my life back while the other part of me is devastated that I only have one more year with a child at home.

The last baby bird (our second) to leave the nest is so much different than the first. This time, I know what to expect. This time, I know that I am going to grieve.  This time, I have an understanding of what I am going to go through. This time, the dread is much worse.

I am determined to enjoy this last year. I am determined to prepare for the loss and to embrace my new found freedom as an aging Yuppy. (Is there such thing as an aging Yuppy?) Maybe I should make up a new term?

Fiftyish Empty Nesters FENS???? I love it...We will be FENS!! Just like a Jimmy Buffett tune!