Meanwhile, we are in the process of cleaning up and cleaning out my in-law's home, this is a monumental undertaking; on many levels. Their home is large, it is filled with things: personal belongings, household items and a multitude of memories. Yesterday I spent the day in their bedroom, cleaning the cherry paneling with orange oil, it shines like it did 42+ years ago when my father-in-law lovingly cut each section and placed each board. I remember working on this house alongside my brand-new husband at that time, we would go out to "the house" whenever we had free time back then and help where we could. Yesterday I cleaned baseboards and bathrooms and windowsills, all the time thinking about how this home needs another family to fill it, it needs happy voices and love and laughter to echo within these walls once again. That time will come eventually. And so, the work continues for now; my husband's siblings are arriving to help. Cleaning up, cleaning out; my current "to do" list, one room at a time, both here and at home!
Life is Good!
10 comments:
closing up a home is a bittersweet task indeed....
Amen to what Grace said!
You definitely have a "home clean-up" lifestyle going right now! Hope things can get back to your regular routine soon.
Seems to be a lot of that going around -- Steve just spent the weekend in Portland helping his parents start the task of downsizing and moving to a retirement community as health issues have finally made them realize the need for the move.
I don't envy you on either task. I wish you the best on both of them.
Hope you will be able to move back in to that room soon!
My warmest thoughts, fondest memories and heartfelt prayers are with you all as The House is closed down. :*)
Glad the restoration work at YOUR house is progressing and sending all best wishes everyone involved with the work at The House.
I've been on a quest to do the same thing - clean up and clean out. I don't want my children to have to go through as much stuff as we did when my parents died. But it's very hard to simplify. If it doesn't hold a treasured memory then it's just such good stuff. :) blessings, marlene
When our mom finally moved from the family home after almost 60 years there we had to have 8 ... yes, EIGHT ... garage sales before we could even start to parcel through furniture and memorabilia that we would want to keep. It was a daunting task and took 6 months over a spring/summer period. I found myself resolving NOT to hang onto things and have done fairly well (my husband would disagree). It's a hard task both emotionally and physically. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way as you take this journey with them. Linda
It can be so hard to clean out our parents homes, but also a way of remembering them and honoring them. I still have boxes in my basement of things I saved from my parents home that I could not bare to part with as I knew these were things they loved, but I have no room for them and no one in the family wanted them. I am hoping that someday the grandkids will want them. For now, they reside in my basement, which my husband is converting to his workshop, so may have to find a new home soon for them.
Sounds like you have a lot going on with both houses, be sure to take time to relax and do what you enjoy.
Dusting a house can be a daunting task we have wooden floors in a few rooms in our house. I am really thinking about investing in an air purifier. There are some pretty good ones out there and we could use as many positive reinforcements as can get. Surely it would be beneficial to use it as a supplement to cleaning.
Alison Norman @ Power Boss
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